out of thy sight like one out of thy remembrance and care and providence But in this bitter conflict my faith and repose in the mercy of God at last got the victorie and then I altered my sad tone and with some chearfulnesse delivered the hope that I had to escape this peril and live to present my hearty thanks once again in thy holy Temple of Jerusalem 5. All this while my danger continued and made me recal another passage of the Psalmist where he saith that the waters beset him on every side to the hazard of his life His words might he mine when I was walled about with the great abysse and a multitude of weeds all which strengthened and collected into one bundle which seemed ready to wrap about my head and confine me to my last unquiet bed 6. For me thought that I went down to the lowest parts of those rocks and promontories that peep out like mountains in the sea and that the earth had barred me out and excluded me wholly from ever seeing the firm land again Yet out of the depth of this miserie didst thou preserve me alive O just and powerful Lord and my most merciful God 7. When in the middest of these difficulties I was ready to faint and dispair of recoverie I forgot not to humble my self before God And my prayer found admittance unto thee O Lord and accesse into thy holy Temple 8 They that perverslie wait upon idols for succour which are but meer vanities what do they but in effect wilfully relinquish that mercy and favour that is offered to them from heaven 9. But I will present my self before thee O God with the sacrifice of praise and thansgiving and I will pay my vows unto thee from whom onely we may securely hope for mercy and deliverance 10. According to this prayer from a penitent and faithful heart the Lord upon the third day commanded the Whale to cast up Ionah upon the drie land as the grave delivered up our Saviour upon the third day in the garden of Ioseph of Arimathea and by his power and mercie shall deliver us all at last being able to retain us no longer then the great day of the Resurrection and that general Spring when all the bodies of the Saints shall budd out of the earth incorruptible though they were sown in corruption CHAP. III. 1 ANd the word of the Lord came unto Ionah the second time saying 2 Arise go unto Nineveh that great city and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee 3 So Ionah arose and went unto Niniveh according to the word of the Lord now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three daies journey 4 And Ionah began to enter into the city a daies journey and he cryed and said Yet fourty daies and Nineveh shall be overthrown 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast and put on sack-cloath from the greatest of them even to the least of them 6 For word came unto the King of Nineveh and he arose from his throne and he laid his robe from him and covered him with sack-cloath and sat in ashes 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles saying Let neither man nor beast herd nor flock tast any thing let them not feed nor drink water 8 But let man and beast be covered with sack-cloath and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn every one from his evil way and from the violence that is in their hands 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not 10 And God saw their works that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not CHAP. III. 1. WHen Ionas like one risen from the dead was returned out of that prison and Grave in the Whales belly and saw himself to be one of this World again he heard no more of his former disobedience he was sufficiently admonished of that by his punishment in the deep But to take away the scruple and perplexity that he might have in his heart whether he should now fit himself for his journey towards Ninive or no for he might remember that the Israelites neglecting Gods first command of entring the land of Canaan were slain for attempting to do it afterward upon their own bare resolution To resolve him in this by a new Commission he was furnished and encouraged again by God himself with a second and fresh command in the same terms wherein he received it before That is 2. Arise and go to that great City Ninive the head City of the Assyrians and preach against them what I first injoyned thee At which if they repent the Israelites may understand by that how much they have offended in not being drawn to repentance by the message of so many Prophets as have been sent to them 3. Then Ionah having learned obedience from his afflictions without any further delay chearfully resolved upon his journey and went to Ninive as God had commanded him Now Ninive was a very great and spatious City of three daies journey in length from the one end to the other 4. Ionah therefore beginning to enter into the City ordered it so that he passed thorough a third part of the City in one daies journey exclaiming against the great sinnes of that place and threatning that unlesse they did prevent it by a serious and speedy repentance within fourty daies Ninive should be overthrown but upon their true conversion they should find that God desired not their death but the reformation of their lives 5. In which the people of Ninive believed God and being well perswaded of his Justice and mercie made known unto them by his Prophet and contented with that first daies journey and admonition caused a solemn Fast to be proclaimed and further to show their inward and universal sorrow and contrition they left off their costly apparel and from the highest to the lowest appeared all in sackcloth as penitent and humble suiters for mercy 6. For the report of this Prophesie was brought to the Kings Court as well as to other places of the City and the King to show good example to his Courtiers and the rest of his subjects arose from his Throne laid aside his Royal ornaments and in sackcloth and ashes made evidence of his great sorrow and remorse wherein he begged mercy for himself and his People 7. Nor did he thus onely countenance but by his Royal Proclamation with the advise and counsel of his Nobles he enjoyned a Fast to be kept through all Ninive in such solemn and strict manner that neither man nor beast greater or lesse should be permitted to tast any food or drink any water 8. And it was further commanded that both men and beasts should be covered with sackcloth
preach what will please them and to sooth them up in expectation of better times then they are worthy to enjoy or have any reason to hope for 9. And now to put my office accordingly in execution Give ear to me once again you Princes of Iacob and other Governors in the house of Israel that sit in the place of Justice and yet abhor doing of judgement and should be the onely examples of dealing rightly and exactly according to the rule and yet are commonly seen to pervert the rule of equity and make the law serve your own turns 10. That makes them build such houses in Sion and other parts of Jerusalem with what they gain by shedding of the blood of the innocent and by deciding causes that come before them with much injustice and iniquity 11. For the Princes of this City judge for the bribe and the Priests teach for the hire and the Prophets divine for the reward in ready cash And yet they can talk devoutly and confidently of Gods protection for Sion and Jerusalems sake and seem to rely upon the Lord and say Doth not God dwell in the midst of us How then can evil betide us that are lodged so near to his own holy Temple 12. But talk what you will For you and your sins Sion shall be plowed like a field Jerusalem shall become like heaps of rubbish and Mount Moriah the top of your glory as the place where the House of God stands shall be like those Mountains in the forrest that are fitter for the entertainment of beasts then men CHAP. IV. 1 BVt in the last daies it shall come to passe that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills and people shall flow unto it 2 And many nations shall come and say Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his pathes for the law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem 3 And he shall judge among many people and rebuke strong nations afar off and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into prunning hooks nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn war any more 4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it 5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever 6 In that day saith the Lord will I assemble her that halteth and I will gather her that is driven out and her that I have afflicted 7 And I will make her that halted a remnant and her that was cast far off a strong nation and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever 8 And thou O tower of the flock the strong hold of the daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first dominion the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Ierusalem 9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud is there no king in thee is thy councellour perished for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail 10 Be in pain and labour to bring forth O daughter of Zion like a woman in travail for now shalt thou go forth out of the city and thou shalt dwell in the field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies 11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee that say Let her be defiled and let our eye look upon Zion 12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsel for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor 13 Arise and thresh O daughter of Zion for I will make thine horn iron and I will make thy hoofs brasse and thou shalt beat in pieces many people and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth CHAP. IV. 1. YEt for your comfort after all this desolation there will a time come at their return from the captivity of Babylon when that mountain where the house of the Lord is seated shall overtop all other mountains and no hills or high places which the Pagans have made choice of for the worship of their idol-gods shall any way be compared to the high glory of Mount Moriah or so frequented with multitudes of men as this shall be 2. Hither shall flock the true worshipers from several parts of the World and say Come and let us go up to the holy Mountain the Mountain of the Lord Iehovah and to the house of the God of Iacob and by his holy Priests and Prophets he will teach us what is fittest for us to be instructed in out of his waies that we may walk in them For thence onely must we look for the knowledge of the true God whose divine laws specially in the daies of the Messias shall go forth of Sion and his holy word out of Ierusalem and thence be divulged and imparted unto other nations 3. This great God of Israel that so instructs and directs them that make their humble addresses unto him will for their sakes show his judgements among many people that seek him not and correct many remote nations that are too strong and puissant for us to deal with for no strength no distance can secure them from his power and good pleasure upon them And while we serve him he will make them to be so willingly and so absolutely resolved of peace that they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their spears into pruning hooks And rather then their own quarrels shall be any disturbance to us one nation shall not lift up a weapon against another nor shall they learn how to practise themselves in the feats of war any more 4. And so shall it be after our return from Babylon we shall then enjoy many daies of great peace and tranquillity Every man shall sit quietly under his own vine and under his own fig-tree without any to molest him or make him afraid And to make us secure of all this it is decreed by God himself and the mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it who hath all hosts and armies and alterations of peace and war at his disposal 5. And our serving of him will be one motive of this mercy and favour for while other people addict themselves to the worship of their false gods and in their name tender all their respects we shall go on to present our humble service and devotions in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever 6.
chemarims with the priests 5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the house tops and them that worship and that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malcham 6 And them that are turned back from the Lord and those that have not sought the Lord nor enquired for him 7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God for the day of the Lord is at hand for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice he hath bid his guests 8 And it shall come tò passe in the day of the Lords sacrifice that I will punish the princes and the kings children and all such as are clothed with strange apparel 9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold which â—ill their masters houses with violence and deceit 10 And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord that there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate and an howling from the second and a great crashing from the hills 11 Howl ye inhabitants of Maktesh for all the merchant-people are cut down all they that bear silver are cut off 12 And it shall come to passe at that time that I will search Ierusalem with candles and punish the men that are setled on their lees that say in their heart The Lord will not do good neither will he do evil 13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty and their houses a disolation they shall also build houses but not inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards but not drink the wine thereof 14 The great day of the Lord is near it is near and hasteth greatly even the voice of the day of the Lord the mighty man shall cry there bitterly 15 That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distresse a day of waftnesse and desolation a day of darknesse and gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse 16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities and against the high towers 17 And I will bring distresse upon them that they shall walk like blind men because they have sinned against the Lord and their blood shall be poured out as dust and their flesh as the dung 18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lords wrath but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousie for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord which was revealed to Zephaniah whose very name tells us that God would more clearly reveal by him some of his secret counsail concerning those heavy judgements that were now ready to fall upon the Iews and so needed this nearer and clear Interpreter of his will and pleasure as an other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ioseph was called by Pharaoh This Zephaniah was the son of Cushi the son of Gedaliah the son of Amariah the son of Hizkiah And he prophesied in the daies of Iosiah son of Amon King of Iudah for even in the raign of that good King so pious and so eminent an example produced little amendment in a wicked and perverse generation Therefore 2. I will even sweep away all together out of this land saith the Lord and so make a quick and fair riddance of so rebellious a nation 3. I will make an end of man and beast I will consume the fouls of the air and the fishes of the sea I will quite take away both the wicked offenders and all their scandalous sins and offences And all by one sin or other being gone out of the good way wherein they promised to walk I will also by one means or other root out every man out of that land of promise which I had bestowed upon them saith the Lord. 4. And even against Iudah as I have done against Israel will I stretch out my powerful and revenging hand and therein against the proudest and worst of them the Citizens of Ierusalem And I will do what good Iosiah in all his care and industrie could not do in that stubborn and rebellious City which should have been a pattern and example to all the rest from that place will I cut off by the sword of my Justice all the reliques of Baal and the name of the Chemarims their downright idolatrous priests and their Cohanims too those priests of their own that will now and then be tampering with the accursed mysteries of Baal 5. Such as can find a time to worship the host of heaven upon the tops of their houses which were made flat for prevention of danger from thence and not to introduce so dangerous and flat idolatrie as that those halters between two religions that think they can do their homage to the true God and to the false and swear by Iehovah and by their Moloch the imaginarie Deitie of the Ammonites which they have now made to be theirs 6. And those also that otherwise and by other vanities and diversions fall away from following the Lord Iehovah and from seeking and inquiring after him alone in such holy places and waies of divine worship as himself hath prescribed 7. Wherein as being in the presence of him and before his all-seeing eye use all the reverence and holy fear and devotion that may best whosoever thou art that would live secure and without all fear and danger of a day of justice and vengeance For such 1 day is coming and it is near at hand when they that offer not such pious and chearful sacrifices to him shall find that he will make a merry and festival day of sacrificing them and bidding such guests to be entertained with that sacrifice as they would be loath to be dressed up for and to be devoured by such hungry companions 8. And in that day of the Lords sacrifice and that feast he will spare none that have not spared to serve and sacrifice to others besides him They must all to the pot the highest as well as the lowest the Princes and their royal race and all the gandy gallants that look so strangely upon it in their rich and costly apparel 9. Amongst all this fine irreligious rout I will not forget to punish them that follow the superstition of the Philistims in not presuming to tread upon the threshould for sooth but rather using the nimblenesse of their feet for a speedy conveyance which is no fit way of entring into the house of their God And with these contemners of their Gods house I will visit those that take too much care for the furnishing and enriching of their Masters house by hook or by crook and by all the violent and deceitful courses that they can imagine 10. And I will give you a more particular discoverie and prediction of what shall happen in three of the chiefest parts of the City in that day A great noise and crie shall then be
of your hands and corrupted the fruit of your grounds with blasting and mildew and haile And therefore I did it because I would have had you to reflect upon your sinfull hearts and be converted unto me but yet this punishment was not followed with your conversion saith the Lord. 18. And now take it also into your serious consideration what better successe you have had from this day and upward from the twenty fourth day of the nineth moneth wherein you began to go on with the Foundation of the Temple of the Lord which had been laid before and too long neglected And again I advise you to take speciall notice of this day 19. We are now in the ninth Moneth And â—s your corn which you lately sowed yet come into your barnes Are you as sure of it as if you had it home into your own possession and at your own disposall No. It is still under the ground you have it but in hope and you stand still in need of my blessing upon it that it may be ripened and sitted for the barn And do you not see that the Vine and the sig-tree and the pomegranate and the Olive-tree are yet far from bringing forth that which gives you some likelihood of a good and plentifull year Yet from this day though these fruites are no forwarder and the seed be yet in the ground from this very day will I poure my blessing upon them and so from this day give you an assurance that all these things shall prosper and increase as you would have them 20. And again the word of the Lord came to the Prophet Haggai in this twenty fourth day of the aforesaid moneth to this effect 21. Speak to Zerubbabel the Governour of Iudah and say It shall not be long before I shake the heavens and the earth those that are placed above others as in a higher Orbe and those that are under them with many great wars and tumults 22. I will bring ruine and destruction upon the rich and large Kingdomes under the command of the Persian Monarch and so overthrow that high throne and state of His and bring down the pride and puissance of that great Empire which so overtops the kingdoms of the Heathen I will overturn their chariots of war with their skilfull Riders And their stately Steeds with those that are so bravely mounted upon them shall have a fall They shall all perish by the sword of those nations that are their brethren in iniquity and idolatry and deserve no better than they do 23. At that time when all these stormes shall fall upon them saith the Lord of Hostes will I take thee into my own protection O Zerubhabel the Son of Shealtiel my Servant and I will preserve thee as warily and as carefully as a man would preserve his own signet Thou and thy people shall be secure in the middest of those stirs that in thy time and long after shall be among the greatest nations And all this will I do because I have set my love and favour upon thee and selected thee and thy nation to be a more peculiar object of my care and mercy saith the Lord of Hostes. A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF ZECHARIAH CHAP. I. 1. IN the eighth moneth in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah the son of Barachiah the son of Iddo the prophet saying 2 The Lord hath been sore displeased with your fathers 3 Therefore say thou unto them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Turn ye unto me saith the Lord of hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of hosts 4 Be not as your fathers unto whom the former Prophets have cried saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Turn ye now from your evil waies and from your evill doings but they did not hear nor hearken unto me saith the Lord. 5 Your fathers where are they and the prophets do they live for ever 6 But my words and my statutes which I commanded my servants the prophets did they not take hold of your fathers and they returned and said Like as the Lord of hostes thought to do unto us according to our waies and according to our doings so hath he dealt with us 7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh moneth which is the moneth Sebat in the second year of Darius came the word of the Lord unto Zechariah the son of Barachiah the son of Iddo the prophet saying 8 I saw by night and behold a man riding upon a red horse and he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in the bottom and behind him were there red horses speckled and white 9 Then said I O my Lord what are these And the Angel that talked with me said unto me I will shew thee what these be 10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said These are they whom the Lord hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth 11 And they answered the angel of the Lord that stood among the myrtle-trees and said We have walked to and fro through the earth and behold all the earth sitteth still and is at rest 12 Then the angel of the Lord answered and said O Lord of hostes how long wilt thou not have mercy on Ierusalem and on the cities of Iudah against which thou hast had indignation these three-score and ten years 13 And the Lord answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words 14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me Cry thou saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts I am jealous for Ierusalem and for Zion with a great jealousie 15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction 16 Therefore thus saith the Lord I am returned to Ierusalem with mercies my house shall be built in it saith the Lord of hosts and a line shall be stretched forth upon Ierusalem 17 Cry yet saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts My cities through prosperitie shall yet be spread abroad and the Lord shall yet comfort Zion and shall ye choose Ierusalem 18 Then lift I up mine eies and saw and behold four hornes 19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me What be these and he answered me These are the hornes which have scattered Iudah Israel and Ierusalem 20 And the Lord shewed me four carpenters 21 Then said I What come these to do and he spake saying These are the hornes which have scattered Iudah so that no man did lift up his head but these are come to fray them to cast out the horns of the Gentiles which lift up their horne over the land of Iudah to scatter it CHAP. I. 1. IN the eighth moneth the moneth Bul which had part of our October and part of November in the second yeà r of Darius the son of Hystaspes God spake unto the Prophet
his field near the Temple of the Lord. 14. Then it pleased God to proceed to the breaking of the second staff and to say I will even break asunder my other Shepherds staff too to which I gave the name of Bands and so dissolve the unity and brotherly concord that formerly had been between Iudah and Israel the two tribes and the ten tribes as the Sons of one father coming all out of the loins of Iacob 15. Then said the Lord unto me yet we will have somewhat more of the Shepherd Go and get thy self the poor habit and furniture of some silly Shepherd such as he useth to carry abroad with him 16. For this is my meaning by that silly Shepherds provision that for the sins of the people I will often send amongst them silly Shepherds and Governors in the land that shal neither have skill nor will to attend any thing but the advancement of their own advantages They shall not do their office to take care for the reducing of that which is lost and stragled from the company nor seek after the weak lamb that is left behind because it cannot hold out the pace of the rest nor heal that which is hurt and wounded by some evil accident nor feed that which continues healthful and free from hurts But providing rather for themselves then their flock they shall feed upon the fattest and so hurry many of their sheep up and down at their pleasure as if they longed to wear out their very clams that they might not be able to stir about for that which their Shepherds will not provide for them 17. Wo to such Shepherds no Shepherds that will have the name and place of Shepherds and Governors but nothing else that is requirable in good Shepherds Such carelesse Shepherds as these leave their flock to look to themselves but my curse shall attend them Such a Shepherd will I strike with a bright and sharp sword that shall break his arm and dazle his right eye so that his arm shall wither and be unfit for action because he would be lazy where he should not and his right eye shall not be able to see any thing that tends to his own good because he he would not look after that which was for the good of his flock CHAP. XII 1 THe burden of the word of the Lord for Israel saith the Lord which stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the foundation of the earth and formeth the spirit of man within him 2 Behold I will make Ierusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Iudah and against Jerusalem 3 And in that day will I make Ierusalem a burdensome stone for all people all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in piece though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it 4 In that day saith the Lord I will smite every horse with astonishment and his rider with madness and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Iudah and will smite every horse of the people with blindnesse 5 And the governours of Iudah shall say in their heart The inhabitants of Ierusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God 6 In that day will I make the governours of Iudah like an hearth of fire among the wood and like a torch of a fire in a sheaf and they shall devour all the people round about on the right hand and on the left and Ierusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place even in Ierusalem 7 The Lord also shall save the tents of Iudah first that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Ierusalem do not magnifie themselve against Iudah 8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Ierusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David and the house of David shall be as God as the angel of the Lord before them 9 And it shall come to passe in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Ierusalem 10 And I will pour upon the house David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son and shall be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Ierusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon 12 And the land shall mourn every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart 13 The family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart the family of Shimei apart and their wives apart 14 All the families that remain every family apart and their wives apart CHAP. XII 1. ANother Prophesie that carries a burden in it to be laid upon Israel by the command of the great Iehovah Thus saith the great Iehovah that stretched out the heavens like a curtain and fixed the vast globe of the earth upon nothing and created the breath of life which he breathed first into Adam and placed within him i. who made all and therefore governed all from the beginning 2. You will wonder at the time when you see all things so brought about by my providence that Ierusalem shall become like a drunken cup of giddinesse and astonishment to all the nations about her not so much that others which would greedily swallow her up shall tast of that cup which will work their own shame and confusion but in reference to her self that she shall do the actions of a giddie-headed people Therefore upon all Iudah there shall fall great tribulation by occasion of that punishment which shall light first upon Ierusalem 3. But about the close of that time when I have so punished my own people I will make Ierusalem prove like a huge weighty stone to all people that shall go about to disturb her All that lift hard at her shall sooner show their strength in breaking of their own veins in pieces then in removing her from that loyalty towards me and that state of tranquillity wherein I shall place her And this difficulty of so moving Jerusalem shall be thus though all the people of the earth should be mustered up against her And this may be a figure of what shall afterward happen to the fierce and ventrous opposers of the mystical Jerusalem and such as are Jews within They that will be lifting at them and heaving at the true Messias their corner stone will have but ill successe in their vain attempts but on whomâ—soever that stone falls it shall bruise him to powder 4. For at that time saith the Lord if
the owners of them and the new wine shall faile in this land 3. For this is the Lords land by a peculiar title And he will not suffer them to be long Inhabitants of his land that have soon forgotten him that placed them in so rich and pleasant a soil when he brought them out of their Egyptian bondage No they shall many of them trot along to Egypt again to an other bondage there and the rest shall be carried into Assyria where they shall be forced to eat of those meats which their law doth account to be unclean So far shall their idols be from supplying of them with that plentie which they expected 4. For it is but just that they which would not bring their offerings to God when they should have done it should not now be suffered to present him with their wine-offerings usual sacrifices when they fain would do it Or if they would might then offer them yet would not God be any way pleased with such a service in a profane land They should have no better acceptance then those funeral-feasts whereof nothing was wont to be presented in the Temple All that eat of such presents how wel soever they relish to them would be thereby polluted Therefore sure they may keep the meat of such oblations for themselves For there would be no admittance of it into the house of the Lord if you suppose such a house then standing and them able to spare enough for that use 5. And if your offerings will be so little regarded what will you then resolve to do upon your New-Moons and other solemn and festival daies wherein you were wont to appear before the Lord Your new Masters will hardlie give you leave to make them holy daies or if they do and you would not appear empty before God Where and what can you then present unto God that shall be accepted as it hath been in your own Countrie But besides all this They that will make your blood a sacrifice to Gods justice and a feast to which God himself will invite such as you would not like They will find you out new holy daies that you dream not of What will you do upon those solemn and festival daies wherein they will triumph over your miseries and make you wearie of them and the place they live in 6. Will you now see what will become of them that escape out of this then-desolate land of your own by running from the Assyrians Egypt shall find them a place wherein to meet and Memphis shall furnish them with a place of burial while in the mean time those lovely places which they had purchased here with their good money shall be covered over with nettles and thorns shall grow in those habitations wherein they thought they had been richly and safely pitched without the likelihood of any sodain removal 7. I speak not now of mere speculations Doubt not but these daies of visitation and retribution will as certainly come as if they were come already and that you shall know it to your cost that I have foretold nothing but what is true And to represent my predictions in a way that may expresse the greater assurance of truth I speak of what shall be as of things present or already past The false Prophets that lulled you asleep with other dreams of securitie did but play the fools and your mad upstarts that pretended to be inspired did contribute much to the increase of your iniquities and specially of that your ill opinion or that great malice rather which you bare to all them that would have advised you better and withdrawn you from idolatrie 8. A true watchman of Israel is ever for my God doth not side with the people to their ruine but speaks the truth as in the presence of God and for their good but the Prophet that they cry up i. the pretended Prophet that we spake of He is but like a snare which the fowler laies to intrap you in all his waies And what mischief one of those false Prophets so doth against a true worshiper of God he doth it in meer spite against the Temple of his God where that true worship is performed 9. These are they that are profound sinners stark nought at the heart whatsoever they are in show Their corruptions are such as can not be matched but in the storie of the miserable corrupted times wherein we read of the villanie of those impudent men of Gibeah Which great sins of theirs with other their offences God will remember and punish in due time though they think he hath forgot them and little regards what is done below 10. But who would not grieve to think how soon Israel was fallen so deep into such foul enormities for When I found Israel at first in the deserts of Arabia in their passage out of Egypt into the holy land upon the first trial I found withal somewhat that was good in them and pleased me as well as the best grapes would please them that travail in those hot and barren places I could then have compared the goodnesse of your forefathers to the first fruit of the sig that which first appears to be now ripened and welcom to the tast But such sigs may be soon ripe soon rotten and so were they For it was not long e're they fell foul upon the worship of Baal Peor the abomination of the Moabites and Ammonites and separated themselves not to my service as did the true Nazarites but to the service of that shameful thing and so because as abominible as that whereon they doted 11. Their sin came on apace then so did Ephraims after them And so shall their punishment For the glorie of Ephraim shall sodainly and swiftly flie away like a bird Their glorie is their fruitfulnesse which they are proud to see in their very name But what glorie will they challenge from the birth of their little ones when they are still-born What glorie from the womb when their wives shall be abortive What glorie from conception when they shall have no joy of the fruit of their womb 12. For though they bring up their children till they are of good years yet will I more and more bereave them of those children till they have not a man left Part of this shall happen in their passage into Assyria and the worst and most woful part when I leave them there with a more sensible impression of my departure from them 13. I look upon Ephraim like an other Tyrus very populous and richly seated in a most pleasant place but thence shall Ephraim be fain to bring forth his children to be slaughtered by their enemies 14. And the passing of that heavie decree makes me that I cannot hold from praying for some mitigation at least of their punishment Give them O Lord since it must be so what thou hadst first threatned that thou wouldst
debars us of the joy and pleasure that we were wont to take in our rich supply of sacrifices and offerings for the house of the Lord our God 17. For now not onely the corn above ground is destroyed but the very seed cast into the earth is putrisied under the clods so that our hope of a good harvest is buried with it and our garners are destroyed our barns emptied and ruined and our corn withered 18. O how the very cattel sensible of their wants in their loud bellowing seem to grone and cry unto God as elsewhere the hungry ravens are said to call upon Him who hath an ear for them and would much more be favourable to our prayers who are not so forward to bemoan our selves as the herds of bruit beasts are in their woful condition and perplexitie for lack of pasture And the flocks of sheep that as heavily though more remisly and silently expresse their sad and desolate case 19. I can not but crie unto thee O Lord the roaring of the poor beasts might put me upon it for that cruelty of our enemies that carrie all before them like a consuming fire destroying the fruitful places of the once-plentiful but now a most desert land and like a continued flame fearfully burning up all the trees of the field 20. And if I should leave crying and calling upon thee the beasts of the field every one of them as confuting the dulnesse and coldness of my affections and the too little pitty of my self and them would continue their louder and heavier cry unto thee because the great rivers of waters are dried up and the fruitful earth parched with heat is become like a drie and desolate wildernesse the pastures now deserve no other name among us CHAP. II. 1. BLow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain let all the inhabitants of the land tremble for the day of the Lord cometh for it is high at hand 2 A day of darknesse and of gloominesse a day of clouds of thick darkness as the morning spread upon the mountains a great people and a strong there hath not been ever the like neither shall be any more after it even to the years of many generations 3 A fire devoureth before them and behind them a flame burneth the land is as the garden of Eden before them and behind them a desolate wilderness yea and nothing shall escape them 4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses and as horsemen so shall they run 5 Like the noise of charets on the tops of mountains shall they leap like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble as a strong people set in battle array 6 Before their face the people shall be much pained all faces shal gather blacknesse 7 They shall run like mighty men they shall climb the wall like men of war and they shall march every one on his wayes and they shall not break their ranks 8 Neither shall one thrust another they shall walk every one in his path and when they fall upon the sword they shall not be wounded 9 They shall run to and fro in the city they shall run upon the wall they shall climb up upon the houses they shall enter in at the windowes like a thief 10 The earth shall quake before them the heavens shall tremble the Sun and the Moon shall be dark and the Stars shall withdraw their shining 11 And the Lord shall utter his voice before his army for his camp is very great for he is strong that executeth his word for the day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it 12 Therefore also now saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning 13 And rent your heart and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion sanctifie a fast call a solemn assembly 16 Gather the people sanctifie the congregation assemble the Elders gather the children and those that suck the breasts let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber and the bride out of her closet 17 Let the Priests the ministers of the Lord weep between the porch and the Altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord and give not thing heritage to reproach that the heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the people where is their God 18 Then will the Lord be jealous for his land and pity his people 19 Yea the Lord will answer and say unto his people Behold I will send you corn and wine and oil ye shall be satisfied therewith and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen 20 But I will remove far off from you the Northern army will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the east Sea his hinder part towards the utmost sea his stink shall come up his ill savour shall come up because he hath done great things 21 Fear not O land be glad and rejoyce for the Lord will do great things 22 Be not afraid ye beasts of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse do spring for the tree beareth her fruit the fig-tree and the vine do yeild their strength 23 Be glad then ye children of Zion and rejoyce in the Lord your God for he hath given you the former rain moderately and he will cause to come down for you the rain the former rain and the latter rain in the first moneth 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil 25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten the canker-worm and the caterpillar and the palmer-worm my great army which I sent among you 26 And ye shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God that hath dealt wonderously with you and my people shall never be ashamed 27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel and that I am the Lord your God and none else and my people shall never be ashamed 28 And it shall come to passe afterward that I will powre out my Spirit upon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids maids in those dayes will I powre out my Spirit 30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth bloud and fire and pillars of smoak 31 The Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moon into blood before the
great and the terrible day of the Lord come 32 And it shall come to passe that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be delivered for in mount Zion and in Ierusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call CHAP. II. 1. NOw me thinks I see Ierusalem in danger of a siege Nabuchodonosars souldiers are on their march It is high time to leave your wonted mirth and musick Let the loud sounding of your trumpets in Sion which is a kind of summons and alarum to the Kings own house there and the beating of your drums in the holy Mountain which is a watchword to those about the Temple give notice of your necessary preparation for war And a terrible war it may prove to all the inhabitants of these parts They have had their day a long time of sin and liberty and now God will have his day a severe time of punishment which comes on faster then we think for 2. That destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchodonosor shall be but the forerunner of a greater day and a heavier destruction by the Romans And that will be a terrible day indeed A sad and gloomy day a dismal and cloudy day which shall come with as much speed and as sodain danger upon Ierusalem in all their security as the clear light of the morning that in an instant spreds and diffuseth it self over the mountains and imparts his lustre to all the world And answerable to this will be the agilitiy and quick dispatch that shall be used by those Locusts with Lions teeth their numerous and potent enemies This will make it such a fearful day such á terrible army with such slaughter of men as was never yet seen nor ever shall be to the years of many generations 3. The fearful and utter davastation then made by the enemies will be like that of fire both before and behind that sodainly and totally consumes all about it so that this pleasant countrie of Judea that before the entrance of the enemie was as well stored and delight sâ—me to look upon as the garden of Eden shall before their vast army of locusts be removed be rather like a bare and desolate wildernesse In which if any shall be so fortunate as not to perish by the sword yet there would be no way to escape from hence nor any hope of continuance here without perishing by famine or submission to the pleasure of the enemy Who will no way be hindred from having what he comes for in the compassng of our ruine 4. Such will be the event of this coming of these locusts who by their courage and agility and specially by their cruel visage wherein they will rather be like fierce horses then locusts might fright us into death And yet like stout Horsemen they will fall upon us with that force and violence that the valiantest amongst us will never be able to resist 5. In which violence skipping with hast over our mountainous country they will make as great a noise as chariots would do if they were furiously driven over such high places Or which is yet more horrid to the ear like the noise of a slanting fire that devours the stubble In these or what else may be worse then these they will show themselves like an armie of lustie men sufficiently instructed ordered and prepared for war 6. This quick and rough way of onset will be terrible to our people and make all their sad faces contract a palenesse or rather blackness as visible as if they had lain among pots that have changed their natural colour over the fire 7. While this fear makes us at a stand they will on forward like strong men in their full speed readie to mount our walls with a valour befitting stout and true military persons Every man knowing his own way and his own task No man appearing so slow or carelesse as if he were ingaged either to stay there or to give way to any that would turn him out of his place 8. So will every one of them make sure to be no hinderance to his fellow in the execution of their charge either in their way or in their work For both which they shall be so well appointed and so strongly armed that if they chance to light unawares upon their enemies weapon whatsoever it is therewill be no such hazard unto them as to expose them to any dangerous wound So happy and successeful shall they be in their bold attempts 9. Their ventrous army being so well ordered they will resolve to make a fierce irruption into the city like skipping locusts running about the walls and by sodain invasion taking possession of them shaking their heels there and dancing as men secure of the victory and then entring into the houses if not at the doors yet at least climbing in at the windows like bold and desperate theeves that will neither be hindred from coming in nor driven out again till they have ransacked and plundered the secretest corners where there is any thing to be found worth the carrying away 10. After this rude and insulting demeanour of the souldiers it will the be easier to conjecture what misery must needs fall upon the poor people if we expresse it by an Earthquake and the shaking of the Heavens and the obscuring of the celestial lights The terrour of the lower and meaner sort of the people may be conceived by the fearful effects of an Earthquake So may the sad ruine of the Nobles by the shaking of the heavenly or higher powers And the woful confusion of all Order and Command that followed upon that by the darkning of the Sun and Moon and the Stars withdrawing their wonted lustre to the astonishment of all the Spectators as well as of those eminent persons that will be most concerned in that calamity 11. And that you may know the just and powerful author of all this miserie As God himself will have us know that he sends these signs before him so God himself in a signal victory will seem to own our enemies as his souldiers as plainly as if we had it from his own voice and declare openly that those mighty and numerous armies are his and come thither by his own command and irreversible decree and cannot be hindred from doing his pleasure in taking vengeance upon a sinful people that would take their liberty in their day and now must therefore be made sensible of the great and terrible day of the Lord. And who will be able to abide that time wherein he pleaseth to break the hearts of them that are assaulted and adde courage to their enemies 12. All this is threatned by him By him that would not be unwilling to have his hands stayed from such a severe execution of his justice It is therefore foretold that it may be timely prevented And O that even
now while his arme is stretched out to give the blow or his hand to sign the decree even now that you would return from your dumb idols and other vanities unto me saith the Lord by a sad and serious and hearty repentance outwardly also and publickly expressed by fasting that afflicts the body and by weeping and mourning that speaks the inward relenting of the heart These would leave behind them a hatred of those sins that call for so sad a farewel 13. But this last call of mercy will admit of no hypocrisie The rending of your clothes and other outward signs of repentance will not serve the turn The heart is open to me saith the Lord and you must begin with rending and breaking of the heart if you think of preparing a sacrifice fit to appease me And I the sad Prophet of your otherwise-imminent destruction advise you to make such a conversion to the Lord your God a total alteration and conversion of the heart And then be sure when you have so wounded your hearts to rend all sin from them he can heal them again For He is so gratious a Father that he can receive a prodigal when he returns home to God and himself He is so merciful that he is ready to make his mercy triumph over all his and our works He is so slow to anger that when he hath expected till justice can no longer defer the blow yet he can then be entreated and reconciled when he is ready to strike He is of so great kindnesse that he is willinger to repent of the evil of punishment then we are to forsake the evil of sin 14. His threats and his punishments aim not at our destruction but onely at our amendment Our utter ruine must be drawn upon us by our selves but if our hearty return will prevent it we may yet hope to find him all-merciful and mercie it self Therefore though the sentence seem to be irreversibly passed against us yet who knows not there is no doubt but that upon our returning to Him by repentance he may return to us and repent of the punishment And leave behind him with our deliverance from the enemy a blessing not upon our sad souls onely but also upon our afflicted and macerated bodies and upon our estates too that are even ready to be taken all away by an army of locusts a populous and cruel nation Thus may our fasting and mourning be turned into feasting and joy thankful expressions of our selves in a meat-offering and drink-offering to the Lord our God 15. Therefore do you that are Priests show your selves forwardest in this work you that are to take care for others as well as your selves Call the people together as you use to do by the sound of a trumpet in Sion put them in mind by a holy Fast to castigate the body and spend a day in holy exercises Call for such an Assembly 16. Thus gather the people to joyn together in prayer and other holy exercises wherein the elder men should lead the way to others by their good example and compel them by their authority And as children and sucking infants are concerned in the common danger so let them bear a part in the publick humiliation And while all are so taken up with fasting mourning and praying let the Bridegoom also and the Bride leave their Bride-chamber and their mirth for that time turning their ornaments into sack-cloth and their joy into weeping 17. Above all other let the Priests whose work it is mainly to intend the service of God and who are many wayes concerned both in the conversion and wellfare of the people and as many wayes obliged to be earnest suiters unto God in their behalf Let them offer up their prayers and tears for the people committed to their charge and offer them up between the Porch and the Altar as interposing their intreaties between a sinful people and their angry God Wherein as wholly taken up with the necessities of the people Let them say Spare thy people O Lord which thou hast purchased to thy self with thy mighty hand Let not thine own inheritance hear that reproach of the heathen for being in a manner forsaken by God whom they pretend to serve which must needs tend to the dishonour of God and the disparagement of his power and love to his own servants as our enemies will apprehend it while they do thus insult and domineer over us in our great misery And of his honour we are to be more tender then of our own deliverance 18. These are the likeliest means to move the Lord not onely to be merciful to his people and willing to spare them but zealous also in their behalf even to the turning of his anger upon their cruel enemies with the same affection wherewith a husband would revenge the injuries of his beloved spouse 19. In which affection what answer can the Lord make to the true repentance of his afflicted servants and the humble supplication of their Priests but that which shall carrie with it a supply of their present wants and necessities by plenty of corn and wine and oil and whatsoever else may serve to the taking away of their reproach among the heathens as well as the confirming of his reconciliation with them by such a new and ample encrease of their store 20. These blessings should have been seconded by others upon their true repentance for Gods favours use not to go alone Therefore hear the words of that gratious conditional promise to them After you are so well provided for I will remove far from you the Northern army saith the Lord. Those hungry locusts of Assyria and Chaldaea your first and worst enemies shall be sent far enough from Iudaea the garden of the world to a barren and dry land his army by the way scattered and divided the foreparts from the extreamest as much as the East of the Mediterranean Sea is divided from the Western parts And in the end the corrupt smell of the poor reliques of all their great forces shall be as unsavory in the nostrils of such as shall be witnesses of their ruine and after that in the memorie of those that shall make mention of their power as all their attempts were proud and insolent and intollerable against the land of Israel 21. The whole land may turn their fear into joy and gladnesse as soon as God begins to show what great things he can do for them when they are rid of such devouring locusts and so secured of the quiet enjoying of that plenty which I said their repentance and amendment of life may procure for them from a merciful and gratious God that plainly appears great in whotsoever he doth 22. This may be the effect of our repentance But such temporal promises of plenty and safety here are shadows of greater happinesse and security from our ghostly enemies by the coming of the Messias And therefore somewhat shall now be
added in speculation of that To shadow the time of his coming before which the general Peace and plenty of all things shall seem to usher in the great Peace-maker I may speak to the cattel such as we heard awhile ago crying out for want of food and tell them that our happinesse in the near approach of the Messias shall not begin without some comfort to the very beasts of the field For The Pastures of the wildernesse shall put on the face of joy and the colour which they delight in And the trees if they show not the same colour shall show such plenty and variety of fruit as shall best expresse them to be in a flourishing estate Among them the Fig-tree and the vine that we most enquire after shall show the choicest fruit in their kind that we could expect from them 23. And while the earth and trees and dum Creatures partake of so much refreshment much more shall our hearts be enlarged with spiritual joy and comfort Therefore do you Citizens of Jerusalem and inhabitants of Judaea or you rather that make up the true Israel of God and members of the holy Church whereof Ierusalem is a type Do you studie how to expresse the solace and content that must needs follow upon the coming of the Messiah the true Doctor and Teacher of Righteousnesse which under the same name shall bring you the best rain and showers from Heaven in the preaching of his holy word both the first rain that helps up the first hopes of fruit and the latter rain which shall in due time secure us of a happy harvest in the higher and more spiritual sense of the successe of the Gospel 24. Such a happy harvest under the Messias his Kingdom will fill all places with plenty of spiritual food The richest flower of the best wheat the most and best liquor from the choicest Vine and Olive will be but poor emblemes and figures of it 25. This plenty will obliterate the memory of your former greatest famine or what other misery happened to the body from those mighty armies of hungry locusts the Grassehoppers Cankerworms Caterpillers and Palmerworms that I sent among you This plenty will be abundant recompense for those times of want and distresse 26. For if you will bring souls hungry and thirsty and longing to be refreshed with the best cordials and the true manna the food of life that came down from Heaven It is to be had without money You may freely eat and be fully satisfied and have cause enough to return all possible praise and thanksgiving to the Lord your God for those wonderful unspeakable mercies which may further oblige you to a confident and constant devoting of your selves to his service without any more revolting or forsaking of him as if you were ashamed of your profession 27. To which end you shall see enough to make you know that I am in the midst of Israel and I am the Lord your God and no other beside me whether we understand it of our Saviours corporal presence and dwelling here as God and Man or of his invisible assistance and government of his Church Therefore I might well say that you shall be sufficiently obliged to his service and to such a trust and confidence and joy in Him as shall make you triumph in your holy Calling rather then any way be ashamed of it 28. After these times of your enjoying the happy sight of the Messias I will also send down my holy Spirit in a visible form and bestow his Spiritual Graces in such abundance upon all sorts of men though they are but flesh and blood that some even illeterate persons men and women of your own nation shall show the power of a divine prophetick spirit to the speedy and successeful propagation of the gospel To which in the fuller progresse there shall not a little be added by that which in dreams and visions shall be revealed not onely to some of the elder but to some also of the younger sort 29. And as no sex or nation so neither any rank or order of men bond or free masters or servants shall be excluded from this high priviledge of partaking of the gifts of the Holy Ghost 30. Not long after this prosperous beginning and divulging of the gospel many prodigious signs will appear as presages and forerunners of the fearful destruction of Ierusalem the sad punishment of their rebellion and unbelief wonders in heaven and earth beside the effusion of much blood in the slaughter of many men in several places and the flames of fire and pillars of smoak that will appear in the burning and destroying of many Towns 31. Upon which there will follow such a dark and dismal aspect and alteration of the glorious light above as will plainly fore-speak a sad and bloody confusion and alteration in the Jewish state that under the Romans exceeding and compleating that under the Chaldeans of the great and terrible day of the Lords coming in judgement against this sinful nation 32. Yet in all this misery as the severity of God will be seen in the destruction of obstinate sinners so his mercy and succour will not be excluded from any that call upon Him with an obedient faith Sion and Ierusalem shall not then want such a means of deliverance And that mercy shall be continued for ever to the remnant of the Iews that will obey the voice of their Messias in the Gospel the voice of their Lord God that shall call them to repentance CHAP. III. 1. FOr behold in those dayes and in that time when I shall bring again the captivity of Iudah and Ierusalem 2 I will also gather all nations and will bring them down into the vally of Ieboshaphat and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land 3 And they have cast lots for my people and have given a boy for an harlot and sold a girle for wine that they might drink 4 Yea and what have ye to do with me O Tyre and Zidon and all the coasts of Palestine will ye render me a recompense and if ye recompense me swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense upon your own head 5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold and have carried into your Temples my goodly pleasant things 6 The children also of Iudah and the children of Ierusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians that ye might remove them farre from their border 7 Behold I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them and wil return your recompense upon your own head 8 And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Iudah and they shall sell them to the Sabeans to a people far off for the Lord hath spoken it 9 Proclaim ye this among the gentiles prepare war make up the mighty
men let all the men of war draw near let them come up 10 Beat your plow shares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears let the weak say I am strong 11 Assemble your selves and come all ye heathen and gather your selves together round about thither cause thy mighty ones to come down O Lord. 12 Let the heathen be wakened come up to the valley of Iehoshaphat for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about 13 Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe come get you down for the press is full the fats overflow for the wickedness is great 14 Multitudes multitudes in the valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision 15 The sun and the moon shall be darkned and the Stars shall withdraw their shining 16 The Lord also shall roar out of Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the heavens and the earth shall shake but the Lord will be the hope of his people and the strength of the Children of Israel 17 So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion my holy mountain then shall Ierusalem be holy and there shall no strangers passe thorow her any more 18 And it shall come to passe in that day that the mountains shall drop down new wine and the bills shall flow with milk and all the rivers of Iudah shall flow with waters and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord shall water the valley of Shittim 19 Egypt shall be a desolation and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness for the violence against the children of Iudah because they have shed innocent bloud in their land 20 But Iudah shall dwel for ever Ierusalem from generation to generation 21 For I wil cleanse their bloud that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwels in Zion CHAP. III. A Prophesie of what shall happen after a longer and more uncertain time in the vally of Iehoshaphat which what particular place soever is chiefly intended signifies a place or several places wherein God will please to exercise his judgement upon his and the Churches enemies at several times and upon several occasions before the last Day of Iudgement but compleatly then 1. FOr Behold it shall come to passe saith the Lord in those dayes of the Messias the times of the gospel when I shall bring again the captivity of Iudah and Ierusalem â— reduce all the true Israelites Jewes and Gentiles into one fold to be all under one Shepherd 2. Then will I as occasion serves summon the enemies of the Church in all nations and I will make them appear before me in the vally of Iehosphaphat or in the place wherein I will execute my judgement and there will I avenge the injuries done to my own People the true Israel of God mine inheritance whose cruell enemies dispersed them through all the world as if they would have taken possession of my own peculiar portion and divided it as their own haereditary possession 3. In those particular dayes of Judgement which will be as types and forerunners of the Generall Iudgement that will at last overtake all the enemies of the Church it will appear what scornes and injuries have been put upon all the Saints of God Particularly it will be made evident that upon some of my People they have cast lots they have sold the children of Christians an ingenuous young man have they made away for the price of an harlot and a modest Virgin for a sum of money that might furnish them with wine to drink and be merry 4. And what have you to do with me and my Church saith the Lord. You that are as great and close adversaries to the Christians as ever the Tyrians and Sidonians and all the Tract of Palestine were to the Jewes Doth your ill usage come in as a return of some injury that I and my People seem to have offered unto you If you do either provoke me with your ventrous and first attempts or pretend any such requital upon me or mine I shall very speedily take order to return a just recompense upon your own heads 5. And I may then truely say that you have deserved it otherwise For both silver and gold and other precious things which I bestowed upon my People those it will appear that you took away thereby the better to furnish and adorn your own Temples and Palaces 6. Likewise the true Sons of mystical Iudah and Ierusalem the good and constant Professors of my gospel you sold to the Grecians and other Merchants with whom you had the like commerce and so dispersed them thorough severall remote countries that they might be far enough from returning to their own home 7. But I shall as surely recall them and reduce them safe out of those parts to which you thought they had been confined by your selling of them thither And then I will requite you in a like return of your deserts upon your own pates 8. For I will leave your Sons and Daughters upon the same termes in the hands of those good Professours whereof Iudah is the type And they shall have power to dispose of them into far remoter parts even as far off as the Sabeans Because I have so determined to do and have justly passed such a decree upon them 9. Against which decree if you can have any hope to prevaile Bestir your selves to the purpose and use all the meanes you can Publish or proclaim your war among what nations you think fit Provide your self of the ablest auxiliaries Put all your strength upon it And leave not out a man that can assist you in this enterprise When you have done all you can all will be but lost labour against those my Servants that I have resolved to defend 10. Sell your plow-shares and sythes and other necessary instruments and implements of your country-labour to supply your selves the better with weapons and engines of war And let the weakest of all be encouraged to do some proper service to the cause 11. Let your troopes and Regiments out of severall nations multiply into a mighty army and muster up all your forces together There and then the Lord of Hostes hath his greater forces of men and angels and the meanest creatures that will quickly and utterly rout the very flower and strength of your most daring Souldiers at the hearing of this short prayer out of the mouth of his afflicted Servants There let thy mighty ones descend O Lord to the releif of thy people 12. That Prayer will procure a Command that shall rouse all the nations that oppose the Church and summon them personally to appear in the vally of Iehoshaphat in the place which I shall appoint there to sit in judgement against all nations on every side that have been enemies to Me and my Church 13. Upon this summons Hear how God
himself encourageth those that he makes the executioners of his Justice Come put in your sithes for there is a great harvest before you the wickednesse of mine enemies is now ripe Come down into this vally For the wine-presse is full it runs over for the exceeding abundance of their great and bloudy offences for that may be intimated in the overflowing of the blood of the grape 14. O the multitudes of hereticks schismaticks irreligious and profane livers O the vast companies of Atheists Idolaters Tyrants and other malicious enemies of the true Profession and Service of God that methinks I see now making their appearance in the vally of Jehoshaphat or devine judgement that may now be called the valley of decision where they shall receive their doom or the vally of threshing after the harvest where their punishment shall begin For now after they have enjoyed their time the day of the Lord the time of divine vengeance is ready to come upon them in the valley of decision and of threshing 15. At the approach of this terrible day the world will seem to be all in confusion They that were the light and glory of their times and as eminent and conspicuous in the sphaere of their government as the Sun and Moon and Stars are in the firmament of heaven shall be suddenly obscured and loose their light 16. The Lion of the tribe of Iudah shall roar out of Sion to the terrour of all his enemies When he first utters his voice as the defender of Ierusalem i. of his holy Church whereof Jerusalem was a figure though the powers of heaven and earth may shake yet they that trust in him will stand as firm as mount Sion that cannot be moved The Lord will shew himself our refuge and the strength of the Israel of God 17. After the roaring of the Lion will you hear the comfortable voice of the Lamb of God Thus shall ye know saith he to his Servants thus shall you see that I am the Lord your God that dwell in my Church as in my Sion my holy mountain Thus shall you be assured that my Ierusalem my Church is holy and therefore shall be secured from the unhallowed hands of those strange children that shall not be suffered so insolently and triumphantly as they have done to go thorough her any more 18. After this treading the wine-presse of the wicked and threshing of their harvest we are onely to hear of the happinesse of the Church For then shall the mountains drop new wine to her for her stronger Saints and the hils shall flow with milk fit nourishment for her yet tender babes And all the rivers of this mysticall Iudah shall with waters of life to refresh all And to this end a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord to supply the sacred Font which is placed in the lower part of the Church like a little valley of Shittim which is the embleme of a vessel that will not putrifie 19. And then while Egypt and Edom i. e. great enemies of the Church shall lie ruinous and desolate because of the innocent blood which they have shed in the true Iudah the Church of God 20. Iudah in the mean while the holy Church shall dwell safe aud the true Jerusalem shall be comforted with a true and lasting felicity 21. And the blood of the Saints which I did not before manifest to be pure and innocent and therefore most unjustly spilt that shall I even by that meanes declare to be pure and innocent namely by the exemplary punishment of their executioners And thus will God ever abide with his Church and preserve his Servants in their greatest dangers or reward them with that which shall exceed a present delivery and be a sufficient vindication of their vertue and innocence A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF AMOS CHAP. I. 1. THe word of Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa which he saw concerning Israel in the dayes of Vzziah King of Iudah and in the daies of Ieroboam the son of Ioash King of Israel two years before the earthquake 2 And he said the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Ierusalem and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither 3 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael which shall devour the palaces of Benhadad 5 I will break also the bar of Damascus aud cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven and him that holdeth the scepter from the house of Eden and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir saith the Lord. 6 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they carried away captive the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom. 7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza which shall devour the palaces thereof 8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod and him that holdeth the scepter from Ashkelon and I will turn mine hand against Ekron and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish saith the Lord God 9 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom and remembred not the brotherly covenant 10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus which shall devour the palaces thereof 11 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because he did pursue his brother with the sword and did cast off all pitty and his anger did tear perpetually and kept his wrath for ever 12 But I will send a fire upon Teman which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah 13 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of the children of Ammon and for four I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have ript up the women with child of Gilead that they might inlarge their border 14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah and it shall devour the palaces thereof with shouting in the day of battel with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind 15 And their King shall go into captivity he and his Princes together saith the Lord. CHAP. I. 1. THe words or things Prophetically imparted to the knowledge of Amos who was among the Shepherds or keepers of cattle in Tekoah six miles from Bethlehem which were famous for that employment Thence was he called to be a Prophet as David before that from following of sheep was chosen to be a Royal Prophet by that wise and merciful God that chuseth the base things of the world to confound the
wise Now these things were revealed to Amos concerning Israel in the time of Uzziah King of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash King of Israel two years before the Earthquake that happened in the reign of Vzziah that was smitten with leprosie for attempting upon the Priests office 2. Amos being thus made a Prophet his name agreed with the sum of his Prophesie For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amost signifies a burden And that is an ordinarie term in the holy Scripture for the Prophesie of a heavy punishment denounced against a Nation as this of Amos was against many specially against the ten Tribes Against whom what he had prophesied was fulfilled by Salmaneser that led them away captive into Assyria 4 Reg. 17. 6. But let us hear the Prophet himself speak Thus said Amos. The Lord that delighted so much in Sion and pleased to dwell between the Cherubims in his Temple at Ierusalem is now so offended with the sins of Iudah and Israel that he sends an angry threatning voice from Sion and Ierusalem that may terrifie them both specially those of Israel the greater offenders This terrible voice will have a doleful effect in the pleasant pastures of all those Shepherds that have neglected their flock and upon the Sheep that have turned Wolves against their Shepherds and raised up Shepherds of their own choice uncapable of the place Carmel among others even Carmel it self which had the fattest pasture and the most numerous sheep shall in the height and glory of it be withered and made no such place for their feeding 3 What shall we think will become of the Gentiles when Gods own people hear such sad tidings from the place of their joy and comfort Let us now hear that For Syria Damascena first Thus saith the Lord. For so many foul sins of Damascus as have filled up the full measure of their iniquity and may be brought against them in the perfect number of seven by the addition of four more to their first three that were bad enough For these I will not restore Damascus to my wonted favour or I will not recal that which I have decreed against that place Specially in that they heavily afflicted my people of Gilead Reuben Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh barbarously insulting over them and trampling upon them or rather laying on them like thrashers and abusing all alike As it was foretold by Elisaeus in his words to Hazael 4 Reg. 8 15. 4. Therefore in mine anger I will send a furious enemie against them which like a fire shall sodainly deface and ruine the royal structures erected by Hazael when they shall be the Palaces of his son Benhadad 5. And I will break the very strength of Damascus their gates fortresses and whatsoever else it is wherein they most confide And I will pack away the inhabitants of the Plain of Aven and with them the idolatrous Princes that rule over Beth-eden and the neighbour-cities devoted to riot and luxury For the Syrians shall be led captives into Kir saith the Lord by the hand of Tiglathpileser King of Assyria 6. When they of Gaza in Palestine have made up the like measure of their sins the like punishment shall be as peremptorily decreed against them specially because of their cruelty to those of Israel that fled into their parts for refuge upon the invasion of Sennacherib whom though they came peaceably and friendly to them onely for relief and no way to offer them any injury yet they most injuriously sold them into Edom as if they had been their own captives and by right of war taken by themselves Whereby they did as good as imprison them among their capital enemies and obstruct the means of their return unto their own home 7. Therefore I will cause such warlike forces to come from Hezekiah to the wall of Gaza as shall consume and burn that City and all the fair buildings within it 8. And the inhabitants of Azotus shall be turned out of doors and the Rulers of Ascalon shall partake of the same justice with their Country-men Then after that blow given to Gaza Azotus and Ascalon I will turn my striking hand against Ekron also and there the rest of the Philistims shall be destroyed by the Assyrians to the utter ruine of that people 9. Thus saith the Lord For the like overflowing of the transgressions of Tyrus in so full a measure I will not be reconciled unto them nor reverse the decree already passed against them Because they used the like cruelty that the Philistims did against the poor Israelites which came peaceably to them but were sold away to the Edomites as captives taken in war And the Tyrians shall fare the worse because they so easily forgot the league and friendship that was between their King Hiram and King David and Solomon and so between the succeeding Kings that used the stile and love of Brethren which no doubt was cause of much familiarity and many kind offices among the subjects of either Nation and was ill broken off for a matter of filthy lucre in the sale of their confederates 10. Therefore will I send an enemie from Chaldaea to the walls of Tyrus that shall set most of the stately buildings of Tyrus on such a fire as all the water above her shall not be able to quench 11. The like measure of sin will draw the like punishment upon Edom because he was so unnaturally cruel to his Brethren the posterity of Iacob shewing no bowels of compassion to these Brethren of the same belly but resting upon a violent obstinate implacable way of furious anger transmitted as an hereditary vice to Posterity for ever So did Edom strive to keep it ever alive to his immortal shame for such impiety and inhumanity against so near Allies 12. Therefore by Sennacherib and his Souldiers such flames of War shall be kindled in Teman and Bozra the two Cities of note in the Countrey of Edom as shall consume the fair Pallaces thereof 13. And of another Nation affianced to the people of God thus saith the Lord. For the full measure of the transgressions of the Ammonites the Children of Lot they shall receive the same Dâ—om with the Edomites the rather for their barbaroâ—s inhumanity which sharpned their weapons against the weaker Sex to the ripping up of the matrones of Gilead even when they were great with child Not out of any provocation in war but out of a mere covetous and ambitions desire to enlarge their territories 14. Therefore a fearful fire shall be kindled by the walls of Rabbah the gloriousest City of Animon that without difference of Sex or Age shall devour such as are found in the choicest Pallaces and Mansions of the Ammonites It shall come in a violent and fearful way with military clamours and shouting of some and skreeching of others It shall come of a sodain like a
unto the house of Israel Seek ye me and ye shall live 5 But seek not Bethel nor enter into Gilgal and passe not to Beer-sheba for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity and Bethel shall come to nought 6 Seek the Lord and ye shall live leâ—t he break out like fire in the house of Ioseph and devour it and there be none to quench it in Bethel 7 Ye who turn judgement to wormwood and leave off righteousnesse in the earth 8 Seek him that maketh the seven Stars and Orion and turneth the shadow of death into the morning and maketh the day dark with night that calleth for the waters of the sea and powreth them out upon the face of the earth the Lord is his Name 9 That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong so that the spoiled shall come against the fortresse 10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate and they abhor him that speakketh uprightly 11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor and ye take from him burdens of wheat ye have built houses of hewen stone but ye shall not dwell in them ye have planted pleasant vineyards but ye shall not drink wine of them 12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sinnes they afflict the just they take a bribe and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right 13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time for it is an evill time 14 Seek good and not evill that ye may live and so the Lord the God of hosts shall be with you as ye have spoken 15 Hate the evill and love the good and establish judgement in the gate it may be that the Lord God of hostes will be gracious unto the remnant of Ioseph 16 Therefore the Lord the God of hosts the Lord saith thus Wailing shall be in all streets and they shall say in all the high-wayes Alas alas and they shall call the husband-man to mourning and such as are skilfull of lamentation to wailing 17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing for I will passe thorow thee saith the Lord. 18 Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19 As if a man did flee from a Lion and a Bear met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a serpent bit him 20 Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even dark and no brightnesse in it 21 I hate I despise your feast dayes and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies 22 Though ye offer me burnt offering and your meat offerings I will not accept them neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts 23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs for I will not hear the melody of thy viols 24 But let judgement run down at waters and righteousnesse as a mighty stream 25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wildernesse fourty years O house of Israel 26 But ye have born the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images the star of your god which ye made to your selves 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose Name is the God of hosts CHAP. V. 1. HEar what I have to say unto you O you children of Israel Though it be a sad Propheticall Lamentation yet I must speak what I am commanded and if that were not I cannot but speak it over you while I consider the deep misery and affliction into which you have drawn your selves by the weight of your own grievous sinnes 2. Israel should be like a pure Virgin in the sincere profession and service of the true God But now her spirituall whoredoms represent her as a wanton and impudent Harlot Therefore her fall from that Virginity hath produced so deep and great a fall into calamity and desolation that if she do not speedily prevent it by Repentance there is little or no hope of her rising again and recovering her wonted peace and prosperity She is levelled with the Earth like one ready to be buried in silence and oblivion and knowes of none that are able to raise her up and reduce her to her former estate 3. In this misery and captivity which I foresee as certainly coming upon her very few will be left in her Cities and Villages For thus saith the Lord God A City in Israel that could send out a thousand valiant men well appointed shall scarcely be able to show the tenth part of them left alive And that City which could send out a hundred shall have as little a proportion left for the house of Israel Not the tenth part but nine parts of ten shall be taken away by the sword or the famine or the pestilence 4. Yet this sentence is not so irreversibly concluded by the Lord against the house of Isaael but that if you will now seek after your mercifull God in that way in which only he may be found which is in the way of Repentance you may either remove or at least mitigate the decree of your most just and deserved punishment that will otherwise cut off so many by death 5. This Repentance must not be verball onely but active and reall You must absolutely renounce the service of your golden calf in Bethel You must have no more to do in the Idolatry of Gilgal or Beersheba For the right service of God will not consist with the worship of Idols Therefore if you forsake not these places you must perish in them For Gilgal must go into captivity according to the omen in her name And Bethel that carries in the name of it the house of God shall be turned to Beth-aven which promiseth nothing but iniquity vanity and desolation 6. Therefore keep close to that way of Repentance wherein God is to be found That 's the onely way to preserve you in life and safety And if you be not found in that way you expose your selves to extream danger and know not how soon the house of Ioseph as you call your kingdom of Israel from the tribe of Ephraim the greatest part in it and the Royal tribe may be compassed with those flames of war that will break out on such a sudden that the best of you and your friends will find no time wherein to quench or prevent them no not in Bethel the Kings Court and the eminentest place of all the kingdom 7. And how can they look for a milder punishment that turn Iustice the sweetest and loveliest of all vertues into injury and oppression which is as unwelcome and distastfull as the bitter wormwood and when they should exalt Justice and prefer her before all other respects whatsoever do rather suppress her and leave her on the ground as a thing of no value with them that are bribed high for injustice in the pronouncing
you that while you think to escape from one you shall be overtaken by another As if a man should run from a roaring Lion that hath him in pursuit and in the way meet with an angry Bear with open mouth ready to devour him and tear him in pieces or if he should make shift to fly from the Bear too and get safely to his own house as his Castle of defense against all such wild beasts and there resting his weary body or leaning his hand on the wall instantly a serpent should come out thence and bite him and take him quite away by a present death 20. Will not that be a fearfull horrid dismall day and without any hope of light and solace for that time which will have such varieties of danger that can be no way prevented and must end at the last in the ruine of a flourishing kingdom and the slaughter or captivity of many thousands of men women and children 21. To prevent this sad day of the Lord the time of his vengeance upon impenitent and obstinate sinners make your peace with him In your own day while you may call it your day by amending your lives and ordering your conversation aright And do not think without that to please Him with your Sacrifices or Ceremonies or any outward Act of seeming Obedience that proceeds not from a faithfull and pure Heart For will you hear what the Lord himself saith of them I was so far from taking pleasure in them that I ever hated and abhorred your Festivall Dayes And your sweet incense or what else you offered in my house at the time of your solemn assemblies was not accepted by me as any sweet savour unlesse with all Piety and sincerity and integrity of life did commend you unto me 22 You thought that you did me great service in your Holocausts and other oblations but they never moved me so much as to look favourably upon them because you did not with them offer your selves your soules and bodies as a reasonable and lively sacrifice unto me That 's the oblation and holocaust which the other were but to figure and put you in mind of And for your fat peace-offerings which should have been the Interpreters of your thankfull hearts they never gained any good liking from me because the heart and life of them was wholy wanting 23. Away with the bawling noise and tedious iteration of your Songs and Hymnes that you do not sing with the spirit and with understanding as if you were truely affected with what you sing And such have yours commonly been The like I may say of your Psalteries and Harps and other Instruments which being accompanied with sweet voices you presented before me as rare melodious Musick But it was contradicted with such a discord in your lives and actions that it came into my eares like a harsh sound not to be indured For it is the harmony of good hearts and the constant exercise of holy Vertues that I account the sweetest Musick 24. Especially the constant execution of Iustice and Iudgement To see them passe smoothly and faeirly on in your publick Courts not like water onely but like a mighty torrent with such plenty and facility that every cause might have a just sentence freely and heartily delivered without bribes without delaies and unnecessary demurrs This would please me above all Musick above all Sacrifice 25. But how often did you offer me any such sacrifice and oblation in the time of your fourty yeares safe conduct about the wildernesse O house of Israel when I fed you and protected you from all evill though you many a time rebelled against me The wildernesse indeed could not often supply you with outward and legal sacrifices but who hindered you from offering the inward and spirituall sacrifice of Piety Obedience and Thankfulness which is the service that I chiefly desired For the main intention of your other sacrifices was onely to keep you from Idolatry and to exercise your obedience and thankful acknowledgements unto me 26. Though on the contrary many of your nation at that time in the wildernesse were exercised in flat disobedience and Idolatrie For you carried about with you the shrine of Moloch a King and Idol of the Moabites and Chiun or Remphan one of those Images which you represented in a star peculiar to them These were the types these the Deities which you made to your selves after your own idle fancies forgetting the true God that made you and those Creatures to which you exhibited divine honour 27. For those impieties I will cause you to be carried away captive not to Damascus or any place so near your own Countrey whence you have the more hope to return but far beyond Damascus saith the Lord whose name is the God of Hostes whose will and pleasure cannot be resisted CHAP. VI. 1. WOe to them that are at ease in Zion and trust in the mountain of Samaria which are named chiefe of the nations to whom the house of Israel came 2 Passe ye unto Calneh and see and from thence goe ye to Hemath the great then go down to Gath of the Philistins be they better then these kingdomes or their border greater then your border 3 Ye that put farre away the evill day and cause the seat of violence to come neer 4 That lie upon beds of Ivorie and stretch themselves upon their couches and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall 5 That chaunt to the sound of the violl and invent to themselves instrument of musick like David 6 That drinke wine in bowles and anoint themselves with the chief ointments but they are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph 7 Therefore now shall they goe captive with the first that goe captive and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed 8 The LORD GOD hath sworne by himselfe saith the LORD the GOD of hosts I abhorre the excellencie of Iacob and hate his palaces therefore will I deliver up the citie with all that is therein 9 And it shall come to passe if there remain ten men in one house that they shall die 10 And a mans Vncle shall take him up and he that burneth him to bring out the bones out of the house and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house Is there yet any with thee and he shall say No. Then shall he say Hold thy tongue for we may not make mention of the name of the Lord. 11 For behold the Lord commandeth and he will smite the great house with breaches and the little house with clefts 12 Shall horses run upon the rock will one plow there with oxen for ye have turned judgement into gall and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlock 13 Ye which rejoyce in a thing of nought which say Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength 14 But behold I will raise up against you
a nation O house of Israel saith the Lord the God of Hosts and they shall afflict you from the entring in of Hemath unto the river of the wildernesse CHAP. VI. 1. WOe be to you both of Iudah and Israel that taking no pitie upon others in great want and distresse nor abating any thing of your jollitie and luxurie to relieve them nor so much as being thankful to God for what you enjoy do live in ease and security in Sion and Samaria never troubled with any remorse for your sins or any fear of the punishment that hangs over your heads You that trust not in God but in the strength of Mount Sion and the mountain of Samaria securing your selves in that you have found out a shelter in Syria Egypt and other conntries and are called by the names of the chief of those great men in other nations to whom the house of Israel use to apply themselves as to their noble Patrons and Protectors in time of danger 2. That you may know how you do but flatter your selves in relying upon such forein hopes go to Chalne a famous Citie in Assyria and Hamath the great once the glorie of Syria Thence come nearer unto Gath the chief strength of the Philistims Inquire first what happened to them then let this question be asked of your selves Are you in a better estate then these eminent places in those Kingdoms or do you extend your borders wider then they did have you larger possessions then they had Why then do not you admonish your selves by their example that your glorie may be laid in the dust as theirs was 3. Wo be to you that perswade your selves the time of affliction is far enough from you and therefore you may be the bolder with your too-much authority over others and domineer as in a throne of ease and liberty and oppression 4. Wo be to them that lie upon sumptuous and large Ivorie beds where they have room enough to stretch themselvss in wantonnesse and lazinesse And after that ease are wont to pamper themselves at a full and costlie table feeding upon the tenderest choicest lambs that can be found in all the flock and calves purposely fatted for them in the stall 5. Wo be to them that spend too much of their time in mirth and jollitie singing division to the sound of the Psalterie and other rare instruments of Musick which they have made special choice of for themselves And to which they think they have as fair a pretense in the abuse of Musick as King David had to delight himself in his Heavenlie Hymns or otherwise to recreate and refresh himself with it when he was tired with his more serious employments 6. Wo be to them that make too much of themselves and show no pitie of others drinking their wine not in little cups as others do but in great bowls to drown the memorie of all sorrow and annointing themselves with costly ointments not moderatelie for health and neatnesse as is the custom in the Eastern parts but wantonlie in excesse As not ashamed to show their vanitie and profusenesse in expenses upon themselves while they spare litle or nothing for the relief of their own countrymen that are in need and miserie 7. Therefore after a little while they shall go in the head of the captives among them that are first carried into captivitie because they were ever ready to be the first ringleaders to all sin And there will be a speedy end of all the banquets even the funeral banquets of those luxurious feasters that stretched themselves as they pleased upon their beds 8. For the Lord God hath sworn by Himself saith the Lord God of Hosts i. He himself hath assured us that He hath passed this as an unchangeable decree saying I abhor the pride of all the children of Israel and whatsoever they use to boast of though it be the Temple it self Therefore not that onelie but their Palaces and greatest buildings raised out of briberie and extortion and for that cause hated by me Their Cities also and People or whatsoever it is wherewith they are now plentyfully stored will I when I see my time give up into the power of a cruel enemie 9. And if it chance that some few escaping the furie of war be left in one house they also shall perish by famine or pestilence or some other untimelie death 10. Then if the Vncle or any near kinsman to one that dies in the house shall come thither to order that the dead corps may be thence removed and burned to prevent the infection of others If he shall say to any one that is within the house Be there any more left alive with thee One of the house shall answer None are left they are all dead or unlikelie to live Then he shall reply Say no more if that be the case of them Leave thy tears and complaints and be quiet and patient It is too late for us now to betake our selves by praiers to the name of Almighty God This is the time of his just vengeance for our mentioning him so little before and having our idols so often in our mouths 11 Now we must all look for a heavy blow For God will command our enemies the executioners of his wrath to smite all houses Palaces and Cotages alike with such breaches and ruines as shall not easily be repaired utter ruines will be seen in Israel and great breaches in Judah 12. But I prophesie to them that have no ears to hear nor hearts that can be mollified It is as hard and unlikely a thing to move them to repentance as to make horses run upon slipperie rocks or oxen plow there with good successe He must change the course of nature that can do so And he must work as great a miracle that will prevail with them for repentance and satisfaction that have turned Iustice and Righteousnesse the sweetest of all vertues into tyrannie and oppression which are as bitter and unwelcome to the honest afflicted heart as gall and wormwood to the taste 13. Wo be to you that from the root of pride have brought forth such cruelty and injustice and yet are not humbled at the reproof it You triumph in your own wealth and puissance and command which are as a matter of nothing For you say Have not we by our own strength and power pushed down the strong forts of our enemies as it were with horns which they were not able to resist and so made our selves glorious conquerours But this arrogance will not arme and defend you against such adversaries as I shall send 14 For behold I will raise up against you the Assyrians a fierce and potent nation O house of Israel saith the Lord God of Hosts And as you have persecuted and oppressed the poor righteous man so they shall oppresse and hunt after you and drive you before them from one
corner of the Countrie to another from the entring in of Hamath near Epiphania to that which is called the river of the plain or of the wildernesse because of the barren and desert places through which it runs that you may be pursued in the very place which you boast that you have added to the Kingdom of Israel CHAP. VII 1 THus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold he formed grashoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth and lo it was the latter growth after the Kings mowings 2 And it came to passe that when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land then I said O Lord God forgive I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small 3 The Lord repented for this It shall not be saith the Lord. 4 Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me and behold the Lord God called to contend by fire and it devoured the great deep and did eat up a part 5 Then said I O Lord cease I bseeech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small 6 The Lord repented for this This also shall not be saith the Lord God 7 Thus he shewed me and behold The Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumb-line with a plumb-line in his hand 8 And the Lord said unto me Amos what seest thou And I said A plumb-line Then said the Lord Behold I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel I will not again passe by them any more 9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate and the Sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid wast and I will rise against the house of Ieroboum with the sword 10 Then Amaziah the Priest of Beth-el sent to Ieroboam King of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the land is not able to bear all his word 11 For thus Amos saith Ieroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land 12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos O thou Seer go flee thee away into the land of Iudah and there eat bread and prophesie there 13 But prophesie not again any more at Bethel for it is the Kings chappel and it is the kings court 14 Then answered Amos and said to Amaziah I was no Prophet neither was I a prophets son but I was an herdsman and a gatherer of Sycomore fruit 15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock and the Lord said unto me Go prophesie unto my people Israel 16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord Thou sayest Prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac 17 Therefore thus saith the Lord Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword and thy land shall be divided by line and thou shalt die in a polluted land and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land CHAP. VII 1. NOw I shall acquaint you with some afflictions which by way of punishment had fallen heavily upon the people if I had not interposed my earnest praiers as I was their Prophet For The Lord God was pleased to show me a vision It was in the Spring time when the earth was yet in her prime and glorie in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth of the fruit of the earth after the mowing of the hay or cutting down of the corn that belonged to the King Jeroboam the son of Joas Then appeared to me God himself forming of locusts that could never come at a worse time to do mischief to the fruit of the ground and were as an Embleme of his gathering a vast and pernicious armie that would quickly over-run and destroy a fruitful and pleasant land 2. And it came to passe When the locusts seemed very busie in cosuming the grasse and other fruit of the land and had done much harm already to it I said Lord God be favourable and gratious to thy people Let not these locusts that use to make the way to a terrible famine prove a Prophetical prediction of a numerous and destructive Hoste that shall for our sins invade and lay waste so rich and flourishing a Country For who shall then raise up again the Posteritie of Iacob which are already much exhausted and brought low by former calamities 3. Upon my humble petition the Lord repented of this great judgement saying it should not proceed He would alter or mitigate the intended burden of the vision by making Pul and his Souldiers be content to be appeased with money and voide the Kingdom 4. 5. I must not conceal another vision at which I was more amazed a vision and prediction of a more furious enemie that consumed all before him like a flaming fire an element that hath no mercie And in this manner it was revealed unto me by the Lord God himself Behold he called to his Angels and other Ministers for a judgement by fire to be brought upon his people This fire was so violent that it seemed to be devouring the great deep i. readie to lick up and consume manie of the people that are often compared to the manie boisterous and raging waters of the great deep and it had already devoured part of them or of the Countrie Then said I O Lord God stay thine anger For how shall the children of Iacob subsist after this Such a heavie judgement will so exhaust them that they will hardlie ever be able to recover their strength again 6. So the Lord repented of this also I will not now go on with this way of revenge saith the Lord God 7. Another time the Lord showed me a third Vision in this manner Behold the Lord stood upon a wall made by line and there was a line in his hand 8. And that I might give the more heed to it the Lord God said unto me Amos what seest thou And I said I see a line Then saith the Lord Behold I will now make use of the strict line of Iustice in examining the faults of my people Israel I will not so easily passe them by with such connivence as I did before taking little notice of many offences 9. Upon my strickt marking of what is done amisse it will soon follow that the high places of Israel erected to the honour of their false gods will be made desolate and the titular Sanctuaries consecrated to the calves in Dan and Bethel will be laid waste And before that I will rise against the house af Ieroboam the son of Joas with the sword And Zacharie his son shall perish by the sword of Shallum and in him shall that familie be extinct and the Kings of Israel decay more and more till they are quite ruined by the Assyrian 10. When Amaziah the chief idolatrous Priest of Bethel understood of
off the face of the earth saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob saith the Lord. 9 For lo I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations like as corn is sifted in a sieve yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth 10 All the sinners of my people shal die by the sword which say The evill shall not overtake nor prevent us 11 In that day will I raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen and close up the breaches thereof and I will raise up his cumes and I will build it as in the daies of old 12 That they may possesse the remnant of Edom and of all the heathen which are called by my Name saith the Lord that doth this 13 Behold the daies come saith the Lord that the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the tâ—eader of grapes him that soweth seed and the mountains shall drop sweet wine and all the hills shall melt 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel and they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof they shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them 15 And I will plant them upon their land and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them saith the Lord thy God CHAP. IX 1. I Come now to a vision that chiefly concerns Ierusalem and the two Tribes I saw in the spirit a glorie representing the Majesty of God not appearing between the Cherubims as formerly he used to do but nearer the end of the Temple as if he were departing from that sacred place and leaving his Sanctuary by degrees For I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar of the Holocausts as ready to slay those wicked men of Judah that had highly provoked his Justice and Anger to be showed amongst them and to make such a sacrifice of them as he never calls for but when he comes to be revenged of great sinners And he said to some Angel attending at that time or as exciting the army of the Chaldaeans Smite the lintel of the door in such a manner that the posts may shake which signified a great blow by his own command to be given to them that were thought to be most eminent and most able to support and give aid to the Temple and the whole nation to whom it belonged He said moreover Cut them all or strike all through in thâ— head piece q. d.. Let them that are in the highest place the guides and governours of the people have the first and greatest blow that in them others may see their doom And after that I will slay the last of them also the lowest of the people with the sword of a cruel enemie and with such a slaughter that He who thinks to secure himself by flight or any other way of evading the stroke of the enemie shall no way escape that unlesse he fall into their power for a worse punishment of long captivity Which doth not yet exempt him from their striking hand when they shall have a mind to command his life 2. And if there were any way to escape the enemie yet none of them should escape me For who can run so far or so fast that divine vengeance shall not overtake him Where is such a secret corner to be found wherein that will not find him out If any of them could dig as deep as hell to fit themselves with a dark and obscure lurking place thence should my powerful hand pluck them out If they could climb as high as heaven far enough out of their enemies reach thence also would I tumble them down 3. If they could lie scouting and sculking in the unfrequented caves and holes upon the top of high Carmel where no enemy would search for them yet there would I hunt them out and cast them down from thence If it were possible that they could conceal themselves from my sight in the bottom of the sea I have Whales and Serpents of the deep that should pursue them and bite them and fright them out of that refuge 4. Could they be so subtle as to prevent the captivity of their enemies and be gone into theirs or some other land before they come near them yet thither will I bring the sword of those verie enemies to cut them off and spoil all their plots For the eye of my favour and providence shall not watch over them for good I will rather be intent upon what may help on the just and severe punishment of all their sins 4. Where then shall they think to be safe in the time of his anger that offend such a powerful God whom nothing will be able to resist He is the Lord God of Hosts whom all things obey as an Army ever ready for the execution of his mercie or justice of such power that if He do but touch a land with that touch he can make it melt like wax before Him and all the inhabitants of the land miserablie and lamentably to fade away and consume by some calamity that shall overwhelm them and drown them in sorrow and destruction with a sodain inundation like that of the River Nilus in Egypt when it breaks over ' all the banks 6. He fills Heaven and earth with the Majesty of his Glorie In Heaven he hath built his several Ascents by which we may climb to the speculation of it The nearest to us are the heavenly Orbes that are created and moved by Him and their peculiar degrees of elevation one above another Over those Orbes is his spacious Court and glorious Palace in a higher Heaven and in that his Royal Throne where he sits as in the highest Ascent of Majestie Vpon the earth if we consider not the whole globe together as one bundle and a little one too or a little handful in the eye of God we may observe the several bundles of united creatures that he hath placed over the earth which is as it were the foundation of all the rest As first that of the Elements that have their proper bounds then out of them that of the Vegetables and sensible and rational creatures that have their several waies of combination yet altogether make but a little handful before him that can measure the heavens and the earth with a span He calls for the waters of the sea in his anger by a deluge or in his love to ascend up in vapours that he may poure them down again into the lap of the earth to make her fruitful in all manner of store He that doth all this well may he have the name of the Lord and Commander of all 7. Therefore account not your selves onely to be the servants For in that respect what priviledge have you above all his creatures or above all other nations You that descend from
Israel are not you in that point the same to me saith the Lord as any other as they for instance that came from the Cushites a base and servile nation in your account To me your Creator and Lord you are the same though you may be more excellent in respect of some other people that have not receaved so much from me as you have There is nothing in your selves but in my favour onely that distinguisheth you from all others Nor have my favours been wanting to others though they have exceeded towards you For as I brought you out of Egypt where your servitude though you have almost forgot it was greater then that of the Cushites so I brought the Philistims also from Caphtor or Cappadocia and the Syrians from Kir or that part of Media that lies by the river Cyrrus 8. My care and providence hath extended to others but much more to you that have been most ingratefull and disobedient Yet have you larger promises of mercie then any other For Behold and you have great reason to take notice of it The eies of the Lord God that created and governs all and sets up or puls down kingdoms at his pleasure are intent upon every sinful kingdom to destroy it from the face of the earth unlesse they repent Yet for my promise sake to your Forefathers I will not utterly destroy the whole nation and people of Israel saith the Lord. 9. I will indeed by my own command so order it that the Israelites for their sins shall be dispersed and tossed about among the nations as corn is shaked and moved about when it is sifted in a sieve or winnowed with the fan but the chaff onely shall flie away the least grane or scruple shall not fall to the earth Afflictions may purge or trie the best amongst them but they shall not consume them 10. The worst and most obstinate of my people I shall cut off by the sword that amend not their lives upon fair admonition and yet presume that God will not let the evil day so hastily overtake and prevent them but that God will deliver them at last as he hath done their forefathers in many feares and dangers which they have fallen into 11. Their securitie may undo them But there is a day coming wherein I will By Zorobabel restore the state of the Church and kingdom of David and whatsoever under his Successors was gone much to decay Which you may look upon as a type of the kingdom of the Messiah and setling of religion by him Which will be the true repairing of all breaches and raising up the ruines made by Scribes and Pharises and other enemies of the Church and building up the Kingdom of the true Israel of God in greater perfection then ever it saw before 12. That my people or they that are called mine i. my Apostles and Servants and their Successors whom I shall use in the restauration of the Church may take a kind of spiritual possession of the Gentiles in my name bringing them within the pale of the Church and fould of the great Shepherd of our souls Even of the greatest enemies of the Church as the Edomites were to the Iews At least of a remnant of them i. so many of them as shall return by true repentance and obedience from their opposing of the truth So saith the Lord Himself that will be the main Agent in this great work and make use of his Messengers as instruments for that purpose to effect what he hath often and most gratiously promised for the restoring and enlarging of his Church by the conversion and accesse not of Gentiles onely but of enemies too to be incorporated into one mystical body whereof the Messias shall be the head 13. Behold that joyful time is at hand wherein the abundance of Gods spirituall graces shall be prefigured in the plenty of all outward blessings The harvest shall be so long that it shall extend till the time of plowing the earth again And from the beginning of vintage to the sowing of new seed there will be employment enough in gathering of grapes and treading the Winepresse and furnishing all the Cellars with wine Of which there shall be such store as if the mountains dropped and distilled sweet wine and the hills that use to be drie and barren were resolved and moistened with the overflowings of milk Which may figure the plenty of spiritual food and heavenly comforts that shall attend the coming of the Messias 14. And I will bring the captives home again i. such as have been detained under the power of sin and Satan and they shall rebuild the waste Cities and re-inhabit them i. restore and settle the true worship of God where it was neglected And they shall plant Vineyards and drink the wine thereof i. found Churches and tast the fruit of their labours bestowed upon the Church and they shall make gardens and eat the fruit of them i. the maledictions of the Law being taken away they shall be blessed in propagating the Gospel and the true service of God for the increase of those spiritual graces that are like fragrant flowers in the garden of the Church 15. And I will plant them upon their land which I will give them out of which they shall be no more plucked up again i. In the Paradise of the Church they shall be like Trees of Righteousnesse so planted that they shall take deep and firm root Nothing shall separate them from the love and service of God Neither shall the gates of hell the extreamest dangers or terrors be able to prevail against them Thus saith the Lord thy God to thee O Amos or to thee whosoever that art in the number of the true Israel of God Thou maist safely believe it and undertake that all these things shall certainly come to passe A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF OBADIAH 1. THe vision of Obadiah Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom We have heard a rumour from the Lord and an Ambassadour is sent among the heathen Arise ye and let us rise up against her in battell 2 Behold I have made thee small among the heathen thou art greatly despised 3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock whose habitation is high that saith in his heart Who shall bring me down to the ground 4 Though thou exalt thy self as the Eagle and though thou set thy nest among the stars thence will I bring thee down saith the Lord. 5 If theives came to thee if robbers by night how art thou cut off would they not have stolne till they had enough If the grape gatherers came to thee would they not leave some grapes 6 How are the things of Esau searched out how are his hid things sought up 7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the
when thou stoodest like one of another side while strangers carryed away all thy Brother Iacob's forces into captivity and forreigners entred the gates of most of his Cities and cast lots upon Ierusalem which of them should make the first assault against that their mother-City when all this was done thou that shouldst have been one of her best friends didst openly show thy self to be one of her greatest enemies i. one of them that had a hand in all those severall passages of cruelty 12. But thou of all other shouldst not have endured so much as to look upon the strange usage of thy brother in that heavy time much more shouldst thou have absteined from triumphing over the children of Iudah in the day of their destruction and most of all shouldst thou have feared to make thy own mouth a witnesse of thy proud and insolent insulting over their affliction in the very day when it fell upon them 13. Thou shouldst not have been so forward as others to rush into the gates of my Peoples forts and cities in that time of their calamity and then specially have made thy self a spectator of those evils that came so thick upon him like a fearfull storm in a sad and gloomy day and which is yet worse to have appeared as a party which those that laid violent hands upon his substance in that day 14. Nor shouldst thou have stood in the crosse wayes where many paths meet upon that advantage to cut off such of thy Brethren as had escaped the enemy nor shut up such as otherwise had remained free and at liberty in those distressed times 15. For after all these daies of yours the Lord will have his day too a day of vengeance And it is not long before that day will come upon all those nations about Judaea that have been so cruell to them And then as thou hast alone to others it shall be done to thee thy reward shall return upon thy own pate 16. And as you of Edom shall drink of the cup of my anger because of my holy mountain and the holy land of Judaea which you have persecuted So shall all those nations that joyned with you ever taste of the same cup till they have drunk it up and be as if they had never been 17. But in mount Sion there shall be a great deliverance from the scourge that shall then be brought upon others by Sennacherib and it shall continue a place sanctified and set apart for divine service and then shall they of the house of Iacob that secured themselves for that time in Jerusalem return to a quiet possession of their severall tenures in the land of their inheritance 18. Then you that helped to encrease the flames of those wars that set Judaea into a combustion shall find that the house of Iacob will prove a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau like stubble before them And they shall kindle them and devour them till there be none remaining of the house of Esau that shall be able to do any great harm to the house of Israel For the Lord hath spoken it 19. And they of Israel shall possesse the South of Edom with mount Seir and the plain with the land of the Philistims And with them shall they possess the Countrey of Ephraim and of Samaria and Benjamin shall have Gilead for his possession 20. And those few forces of the children of Israel that return after their captivity shall possesse whatsoever belonged to the Cananites as far as Sareptah of the Sidonians And they of Ierusalem which shall return from their captivity shall possesse the parts about Sepharad or the furthest bounds with the Cities of the South 21. And they that have delivered themselves out of the captivity shall not onely come again to their antient right in mount Sion but in their posterity they shall go as Iudges and Governours into the mountaines of Esau. And then the kingdom of Israel shall be under God alone and under the power of no forreign Kings A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF IONAH CHAP. I. 1. NOw the word of the Lord came unto Ionah the son of Amittai saying 2 Arise go to Nineveh that great city and cry against it for their wickednesse is come up before me 3 But Ionah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord and went down to Ioppa and he found a ship going to Tarshish so he paid the fare thereof and went down into it to goe with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the Sea so that the ship was like to be broken 5 Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his God and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it of them but Ionah was gone down into the sides of the ship and he lay and was fast asleep 6 So the Ship-master came to him and said unto him What meanest thou O sleeper arise call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not 7 And they said every one to his fellow Come and let us cast lots that we may know for whose cause this â—evill is upon us So they cast lots and the lot fell upon Ionah 8 Then said they unto him Tell us we pray thee for whose cause this evill is upon us what is thine occupation and whence comest thou what is thy countrey and of what people art thou 9 And he said unto them I am an Hebrew and I fear the Lord the God of heaven which hath made the sea and the dry land 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him Why hast thou done this for the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them 11 Then said they unto him What shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us for the sea wrought and was tempestuous 12 And he said unto them Take me up and cast me forth into the sea so shall the sea be calm unto you for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land but they could not for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them 14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord and said We beseech thee O Lord we beseech thee let us not perish for this mans life and lay not upon us innocent blood for thou O Lord hast done as it pleased thee 15 So they took up Ionah and cast him forth into the sea and the sea ceased from her raging 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vowes 17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Ionah and Ionah was in
were expired Whether the Citizens would so long persevere in their repentance and if they did not whether Justice would then be showed upon them whom God seemed now willing to spare upon their present conversion and reformation of life 6. Now when the thin slight materials of Jonah his booth began to wither and fade with heat the Lord prepared a gourd or some shrub that used to grow in those parts to come over Ionah like a Canopie to shadow and defend his head from the heat of the Sun which seemed not a little to afflict him And with this refreshment under the gourd Ionah was much delighted 7. But that ease and pleasure was not long to be indulged unto him For the next day betimes in the morning God prepared also a worm which by gnawing at the lower parts of his gourd and so extracting the moisture was the cause that it quickly withered away 8. Moreover at the rising of the Sun God sent a soft and still wind the East that had little or no motion or cooling quality which was the thing that Jonah desired Besides this warm breath the son also with some violence of heat did beat upon the head of Jonah and became so troublesom that it made him ready to faint and show himself wearie of his life plainly professing that it was better for him now to die then to live Which seems to be spoken in a passion as if he thought it an injurie to be deprived of that benefit of the gourd which was gratiously afforded him for a time and considered not that this variety of means might be used to bring him to the acknowledgement of the truth of Gods judgments and the sight of his own offences and demerites 9. Therefore God said unto Jonah Is this well done of thee to discover so much anger and disturbance of thy self for a poor little gourd To which question he gives a rash impatient answer confessing that he was extreamly angry even unto death and did well to be so 10. Whereupon the Lord said again Art thou so affected at the withering of a poor vile gourd of a daies continuance which neither for the coming up nor the growth of it is any way beholden unto thee 11. And shall not I the creator and preserver of all things whose property it is to have mercy upon me above all my creatures shall not I be touched with compassion of so great and populous a City as Ninive wherein beside much cattle there are more then a hundred and twenty thousand innocent children so simple and weak that they cannot distinguish between their right hands and their left and therefore cannot be thought by any fault of theirs to call for this heavy destruction upon them Yet were they all ready to perish in the punishment of their Parents sins had not they timely repented What must you then guesse of the number of men and women of fuller growth that have appeased my wrath by amendment of life Which being done their death and ruine should not be rashly and uncharitably desired to make you seem the truer Prophet who was not to threaten any people but with this implicite condition if they forsook not their sins A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF MICAH CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord that came to Micah the Morasthite in the dayes of Iotham Abaz and Hezekiah kings of Iudah which he saw concerning Samaria and Ierusalem 2 Hear all ye people hearken O earth and all that therein is and let the Lord God be witnesse against you the Lord from his holy temple 3 For behold the Lord cometh forth out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth 4 And the mountaines shall be molten under him and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred down a steep place 5 For the transgression of Iacob is all this and for the sins of the house of Israel What is the transgression of Iacob is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Iudah are they not Ierusalem 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field and as plantings of a vineyard and I will poure down the stones thereof into the valley and I will discover the foundations thereof 7 And all the graven Images thereof shall be beaten to pieces and all the hires thereof shall be burnt with the fire and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot and they shall return to the hire of an harlot 8 Therefore I will wail and howl I will go stript and naked I will make a wailing like the dragons and mourning as the owles 9 For her wound is incurable for it is come unto Iudah he is come unto the gate of my people even to Ierusalem 10 Declare ye it not at Gath weep ye not at all in the house of Aphrah roll thy self in the dust 11 Passe ye away thou inhahitant of Saphir having thy shame naked the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel he shall receive of you his standing 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Ierusalem 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish bind the chariot to the swift beast she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee 14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee O inhabitant of Mareshah he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel 16 Make thee bald and poll thee for thy delicate children enlarge thy baldnesse as the eagle for they are gone into captivity from thee CHAP. I. 1. THe word of the Lord which was made known to Micah of Moreshah a City in Judaea in the dayes of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah and which he had revealed to him in a vision concerning Samaria and Ierusalem two eminent Cities by whose example the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel were drawn into many grievous sins and disorders 2. Hear all ye people of Judah and Israel Attend to this Prophesie of mine you that dwell in any part of this land how populous and of how great extent soever it is And for my faithfull delivery of what I am enjoyned to say let God himself that sees and hears all from his holy and glorious habitation in heaven hear witnesse against you if I be at any time accused or mistrusted for concealing any part of his will and pleasure 3. For I wish you all to take notice of this that God is now coming out of those high and holy places of his to show himself in the execution of his judgements upon your nation and the highest and strongest places with the
their phancy rarely well If a man would use to vapour amongst them like one that walks after every uncertain wind and is led by every new spirit If he would discourse non-sense and lies and say I will preach or prophesie to thee for a little wine or strong drink or any smal reward This were the onely Prophet for this people He would fit their turns as well as heart could wish 12. Me thinks I see such a goodly Prophet in one of his Prophetical raptures and thus he prophesies to Jacob as from God himself I will surely assemble thee O Iacob all of thee I will not fail to gather into one the remnant of Israel like many sheep into one flock a fair flock like those in the rich pastures of Bozrah and Moab and that flock into one fould and they shall have no further trouble then good store of Shepherds more men then ordinary to wait upon them 13. But in earnest for all this goodly prophesie of our cheap and upstart Prophet the rough souldier shall be the man to break way before them not his imaginarie Shepherd and he shall lead this people whither they would not go as you shall see when they have broken out and passed quite through the gates of Jerusalem Then shall the King of this people passe along as a prisoner before those Souldiers and God himself in the head of them to prosper and succeed the designes of the enemie as of an army that himself will own CHAP. III. 1 ANd I said Hear I pray you O heads of Iacob and ye Princes of the house of Israel is it not for you to know judgement 2 Who hate the good and love the evil who pluck off their skin from off them and their flesh from off their bones 3 Who also eat the flesh of my people and flay their skin from off them and they break their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pat and as flesh within the caldron 4 Then shall they cry unto the Lord but he will not hear them he will even hide his face from them at that time as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings 5 Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people erre that bite with their teeth and cry Peace and he that putteth not into their mouthes they even prepare war against him 6 Therefohe night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a vision and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not divine and the sun shall go down over the prophets and the day shall be dark over them 7 Then shall the seers be ashamed and the diviners confounded yea they shall all cover their lips for there is no answer of God 8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord and of judgement and of might to declare unto Iacob his transgression and to Israel his sin 9 Hear this I pray you ye heads of the house of Iacob and princes of the house of Israel that abhor judgement and pervert all equity 10 They build up Zion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity 11 The heads thereof judge for reward and the priests thereof teach for hire and the prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not the Lord among us none evil can come upon us 12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field and Ierusalem shall become beaps and the mountains of the house as the high places of the forrest CHAP. III. 1. AFter that sad and true Prophetical contemplation that I closed withall desirous to show the reason of the severity of that judgement I said Give ear awhile to me now you Princes of Jacob and other subordinate Governors in the house of Israel You that pronounce the sentence of judgement against other offenders must not you needs know what heavy punishment belongs to your selves if you had your due 2. Yet are you the men that hate doing of good and love the practise of what you know to be naught And you use such oppression over those that are under you that you leave no skin on their backs nor flesh on their bones you pick and scrape away all that can be gained out of them 3. And I may say more of these cruel extortioners When they have thus eaten the flesh of my people and flayed the skin off the bones then as if they longed for the very marrow or loved to hear their bones crack they break and divide the bones into several pieces as the Cooks use to chop and cut out their meat into several joynts before they put it into the pot or sit it for the table 4. There will come a time when these men will cry to the Lord but he will not hear them that had no ears for the sad complaints of the oppressed In that time of need will he hide his face from them that turned their faces away from the poor afflicted And as they behaved themselves extreme ill in their doings So will he show himself very just in the punishment which they are to suffer 5. And after this said to the Magistrates somewhat saith the Lord I have to say to those titular Prophets that lead my people into much error by their false predictions These men according as their teeth are plied with good meat by their kind gossips so do they frame their mouths to prophesie of peace and plenty but if they observe a man that cares not for so providing for their mouths against him they will be sure to prepare tidings of war and destruction 6. Therefore I will bring so dark and dismal a night of affliction upon you that you shall be able to discover no probable visions of peace It shall be so dark and gloomy that you shall not discern how to pick out any clear divinations of comfort And the Sun shall set upon those Prophets you may bid them good night for all the peace they shall be able to foretel The day shall be so dark over them that they shall be able to foresee nothing that is good either for themselves or you 7. Then shall those Seers be ashamed to be seen and those Diviners confounded with their own divinations And all of them may put a covering upon their upper lips and cry I am unclean I am unclean as being in greater danger to infect the people then any leaper to whom that was enjoyned For none of their answers will prove to be divine oracles but mere fancies of their own 8. But I am no Prophet of that stamp I may truely say that I am furnished with those abilities and filled with that divine Spirit that should be in a Prophet I am endued with courage to fear no mans person and with judgement and discretion that I may seasonably tell Iacob of his sins and Israel of his transgressions and not think it enough to
his secrets and for the daughter to rise up as a witnesse against her mother and the daughter in law against the mother in law And a mans enemies are they of his own house as usually as any other 7. But be the world never so bad I that speak all this against these wretched times will still look up unto God in my hearty prayers for patience and perseverance in doing good and a happy deliverance in due time from the perils of a disordered state I will constantly wait for the God of my salvation And I doubt not but my God will hear me 8. After this Prophetical discourse of my own in the foresight and contemplation of the miseries and disorders that shall happen in the reign of Manasses you shall now hear my own Country the Iewish nation her self bemoaning of her great affliction under Zedekiah and the Babylonish Captivity and somewhat too of their return out of captivity under Nehemiah and Ezra For thus she bespeaks the Country of the Chaldeans first Do not triumph over me O thou mine enemie When I am fallen into a low estate I shall rise again and when I sit in the darknesse of a sad affliction there shall the Lord be as a light and comfort unto me 9. I will patiently bear the heavy punishment laid upon me in the fierce indignation of the Lord because I drew it upon my self by those sins which I committed against him This will I do till he please to take notice of my cause to plead for me and to revenge the injuries which I have received from the Babylonians As in his justice I know he will do in his good time And he will bring me out of this sad and gloomy time of affliction into the chearful lustre and glorie of my former prosperity And in that light I shall once again be able to see the goodnesse of the Lord. 10. And my enemie the whole nation of the Chaldeans shall see it as well as I when she shall be ready to hide her self for shame as impudent as she was in the time of my captivity to say unto me Where is now the Lord thy God what is now become of that help which you expected from him Mine eies shall see her then with comfort when she will be ashamed to look upon me And when I am raised out of my low estate then shall she be cast down and trampled under feet by the victorious Persians and made no more account of then the mire in the streets 11. The time will then come for repairing of thy breaches and rebuilding of thy walls O Jerusalem And at that time the proud commands of the Babylonian shall be out of date instead of sending abroad his high edicts to other nations he shall have one above him the conquering Persians that shall over-master and command him 12. About those daies men shall begin to stock again unto thee O Jerusalem Some from Assyria and the strongest Cities there Shortly after thou maiest discover them from all parts coming towards thee Some from the strongest forts beyond Euphrates towards that river and so towards thee And in like manner from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain shall they come to thee 17. For the countries from whence they shall thus come to thee shall fall to ruine and desolation for the sinful inhabitants thereof which shall have that fruit of their wicked works and so many of them for very need be forced to repair unto thee 14. So be it O Lord for their chastisement and for our return and recovery of our former estate Feed thine own people again as their careful Shepherd go before them with thy Shepherds hook as the peculiar flock of thine heritage They that have lodged long like as in a barren and solitary place in a wood let them now come to feed again in as pleasant places as those of Mount Carmel and in as rich pastures as those of Basan and Gilead as in the daies of old 14. And say to thy people O Lord I will show thee again as wonderful things in mercy as I did heretofore when I brought thee out of the land of Egypt And I will show as great a punishment upon thine enemies as I then did upon the Egyptians 16. So let the nations all about be confounded at all the might and power of the Jews Let them lay their hands on their mouths in silent admiration and their ears be made deaf with the noise and fame of thy wondrous acts 17. Like men amazed at them so let them fall down with fear and astonishment and lick the dust like a serpent Let them be forced to creep out of their secret holes and refuges where they had hid themselves like wormes out of the earth And in the complishment of these things which our prophesies have foretold let them learn to fear the Lord our God and stand in awe of thee O Lord. 18. Who among the gods is like unto thee that pardonest iniquity and removest the punishment thereof upon our repentance and passest by many of the transgressions of the poor remnant of thy people as one that is unwilling to take notice of them if they may be amended For He is not so implacable as to continue in his anger for ever though our sins extort a punishment His delight is rather in mercy and loving kindnesse 19. Therefore will he have mercy upon us again He will trample all our offences under his feet as things he would see no more and cast them into the bottom of the sea as things that he will not care for hereafter nor make any more account of 20 So Lord wilt thou perform the truth of thy promises to Iacob and thy tender mercies to Abraham and what thou hast confirmed by oath to our forefathers from the daies of old A Paraphrastical EXPLICATION Of the PROPHESIE OF NAHUM CHAP. I. 1 THe burden of Nineveh The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite 2 God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked the Lord hath his way in the whirl-wind and in the storm and the clouds are the dust of his feet 4 He rebuketh the sea and maketh it drie and drieth up all the rivers Bashan languisheth and Carmel and the flower of Lebanon languisheth 5 The mountains quake at him and the hills melt and the earth is burnt at his presence yea the world and all that dwell therein 6 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fiercenesse of his anger his furie is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him 7 The Lord is good a strong bold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in
him 8 But with an over-running floud he will make an utter end of the place thereof and darknesse shall pursue his enemies 9 What do ye imagine against the Lord he will make an utter end affliction shall not rise up the second time 10 For while they be folden together as thorns and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry 11 There is one come out of thee that imagineth evil against the Lord a wicked counsellour 12 Thus saith the Lord Though they be quiet and likewise many yet thus shall they be cut down when he shall passe through though I have afflicted thee I will afflict thee no more 13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee and will burst thy bonds in sunder 14 And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee that no more of thy name be sown out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image the molten image I wil make thy grave for thou art vile 15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good things that publisheth peace O Iudah keep thy solemn feasts perform thy vows for the wicked shall no more passe through thee he is utterly cut off CHAP. I. 1. THe heavy doom against Nivive and with her against the whole Assyrian Empire foretold in this book of the Prophesie of Nahum who was of Kessi or Elkesai a little village in Galilie 2. God is a jealous God and so cannot suffer his Servants to be too long and too much oppressed and he is the God to whom vengeance belongeth and so cannot suffer his enemies too long to prosper and triumph in their wicked waies When he comes to take vengeance his heavy anger against sin goes along with it as the executioner of his Justice And when that comes he will not fail to be revenged of his adversaries against whom he laid up his wrath as in a treasure to be drawn out and spent upon them in due time 3. Indeed he comes slowly to those times of the execution of his wrath in great patience and long-suffering expecting their repentance but when he comes he shows himself to be great in power and one that will not acquit the impenitent and suffer them to passe unpunished for what they have done but rather by heavinesse of the punishment make a recompense for the slowness of his anger Which he shows all the way he comes to it making it like a way in a whirlwind and mighty storm and walking upon the clouds as we do upon the dust of the earth which he commands as he doth the boisterous winds and all other creatures to be mustered up against us at his pleasure 4. In these times if he check and rebuke the great Sea that cheek of his dries it up and makes it instantly vanish and fly away for fear as the children of Israel found it in the red sea needs must all the lesser rivers then be dried up with the least angry breath of his as they found it also in the river Iordan And when his just anger will show it self by land as well as by water a little passe granted by that authority will make the rich corn fields of Carmel and the fat meadows of Basan and all the green flaurishing woods in Lebanon sodainly to fade and wither away as once a word of his did it from the mouth of Elijah 5. And to show himself the God of the hills as well as of the valleys he can make the strongest mountains to quake for fear of him and the highest hills to stoop and melt away like the rock that at his striking hand wept it self into rivers And what should I speak of Hills or Vales that yeeld to his anger Any part of the earth for fear of him and at the breath of his nostrils would be soon put into as great a heat and flame as that of Sodom and Gomorrha and the whole world with all that dwel therein may easily be consumed in the fire of his wrath as the greatest part will in the last conflagration before the day of doom 6. For who can stand firm that is shaked by his indignation or if he be once cast down who can raise himself again to oppose the fiercenesse of his anger which when it breaks out like fire is able to rend and cast down the hardest rocks at the fear of him 7. This infinite power may be a terrour to his enemies but as great a comfort and support it is to his servants for the gratious Lord is a sure refuge and fortresse unto all his in the time of trouble and will ever f acknowledge and take notice of those that put their trust in him 8. But like an universal deluge he will sodainly overtake and utterly overwhelm him whosoever he is that rises up against him and all his enemies shall be pursued with the horror and darknesse of affliction 9. Wherwith can you devise to stay this effect of the anger of the Lord while he is working of that which will prove no lesse then an utter destruction to be given at one blow one heavy afflicting blow that shall never need to be repeated in a second affliction to make all sure for a final ruine 10. Which may well be compared to the sodain consuming of thorns that are tied up together before they are cast into the fire or the sodain conquest that drunkards make over their own understanding when they sit tipling over the sweet liquor For so sodainly shall they perish as stubble doth in the flame when it is fully drie before it be cast into it 11. And the lesse should be the wonder at the severity of these judgements because out of thee O Assyria there hath ever come some back-friend or other some most wicked counsellor and plotter against the people of God some Phul or Tiglath-pelezer or Sennacherib or Rabsace that studying to oppose the peculiar people of God proved himself therein no better then a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an opposer and contriver of mischief against God himself 12. But thus saith the Lord against those insulting enemies though they had attained to the perfection of power and policy and so to be a numerous and great people likely enough to execute their malitious designes yet would it be like easie for me when they are ripe for justice to cut them down And this will prove true by the event when one that I shall chuse out i. the Chaldaean as wise and populous a nation as they shall begin to make his way thorough them without any resistance When that day comes it will not be long ere I smite thee O Ninive with a blow that shall come so close and home that it shall not need to be reiterated by any second attempt 13. With that blow shall I break his yoke the troublesom
spiritual whoredoms of the well-favoured harlot that could charm and bewitched her Lovers and was grown to be such a Mistresse in that Art that she was able to enslave whole nations and families with her artificially-insinuating and inchanting waies of love 5. Therefore now have at thee thou shamelesse strumpet saith the Lord of hosts and I will punish thee according to thy own shame suffering the skirts of thy garment to be thrown over thy face that other nations may see thy nakednesse and other kingdoms thy shame 6. And as thou hast made thy self vile so this punishment shall be added of casting dirt and silth upon thee as upon a notorious harlot to make thee appear vile to others and expose thee as an example and publick spectacle for all to gaze at 7. So that every one that sees thee shall remove further off as from an odious and abominable sight and shall say but this at the best Ninive is spoiled of all her wonted beauty and glory and who will pitie or bemoan her where shall I find any that would comfort her in this distresse 8. They will rather say thou art as justly punished as No in Egypt or any other For why should thou scape better then No that was like a graver Matron and nursed up as much people A City as strong and rich and pleasantly seated as Ninive every way for No was scituate like a little Island among the rivers that circled her about on every side The Sea furnished her with continual supply of wealth and the water with her wooden walls was as strong a defense to No as Ninives proud walls were to her 9. Cush i Arabia was another supply to her rich trading and Egypt And where should I make an end of numbring the several people that were advantageous to her and and helped on her traffick among whom were they of Africa and specially of Lybia the nearest part to Egypt 10. Yet was this famous and rich No carried away in captivity her children were dashed in pieces in all the eminentest parts of her own streets The conquerors cast lots upon the noblest personages they had to divide them like bondslaves among themselves and bound all her greater and more honorable Citizens in chains 11. Thou also O Ninive shalt tast as deep of that bitter cup of affliction till thou art drunk with it and hast no more power or understanding to contribute any thing to thy own relief then a drunken man Thou shalt be fain to hide thy self for shame and when thou comest abroad for pure need be content to beg life and livelihood of thy very enemie that hath subdued thee and reduced thee to so low a state 12. All thy castles and strong holds in the mean time shall as easily fall into the power of the enemy as ripe figs and other fruit that are come to their maturitie and with the least shake of the tree will even drop into the mouth of him that hath a mind to eat them 13. And if you wonder at the sodain fall of such strong holds you may quickly see the reason of it in the failing of your strong men that are among you who shall degenerate into the cowardize of women Their fears shall open the gates of their land unto their enemies who will be wise enough to set them all on fire and so leave the passages free at their pleasure without being further beholden to your fears 14. Let them go on then to their other labour-in-vain after all is already betrayed by their own cowardize and thus bespeak their wretched Ninive Prepare good store of water before hand that may serve in the time of thy siege Raise up some new forts of thy own in several places of the City Enter upon a sodain devise of clay and brick to be trampled and moulded together and of them some rampier to be raised that from thence thou maiest defend the City which hath been so kind to leave open her gates in that base manner for the entertainment of her enemies 15. How long will this rare stratagem do thee any service O Ninive How soon rather in the very same place shall the enemies fire-works consume thee and their swords and and other weapons cut thee off and their hungry souldiers devour thee as they would the canker-worm which is often a welcom food to them Go then and fit thy self for their tooth and before they eat thee up for a caterpiller or cankerworm I encrease the troops of thy Souldiers that they may be for number and mischief as most souldiers are like to the many swarms of caterpillers and locusts that threaten the ruine of the place of their resort 16. To this number of rude Souldiers if thou couldst add so great a multitude of wealthy Merchants as might equal the stars of heaven in number and be all ready with a rich supply of their aid in this thy extremity yet would your enemies prove to be the conquering locusts and caterpillers that will sodainly rush in upon you spread over all your City in great swarms and do their work and sodainly vanish 17. Thy strangers that come in for thy auxiliaries flock to thee in such great troops like the locusts And among them the commanders of thy army are like the greater and greedier grashoppers that in the cold part of the day line their hedges with multitudes but as soon as they feel the heat of the Sun away they fly So will your mercenarie Commanders and other pretended friends make a fair flourish about you for a while but in the heat of the battle they will leave you all in the lurch and the place they undertook to make good in your defence â—hall not be able to show so much as the footsteps of those great undertakers 18. Great was that cowardize and negligence of thy Commanders abroad and as great was the drowsinesse and lazinesse and oversight of those thy Magistrates and Nobles at home O King of Assyria They took their ease when they should have been like vigilant and careful Shepherds watching over the safety of the poor innocent people that must go like sheep to the slaughter for their foolish oversight Thy Nobles lay snorting in the bed of security while the silly people like so many tame cattle must be pursued and dispersed in the mountainous and desert places and have none to recal and reunite them and keep them together for their own defense 19. And now Ninive what cure can there be for such a deadly brush as hath been given thee by the best parts of thy own self And yet be thy wound never so dangerous and incurable the worst is they that hear the sad storie of thy miseries will be so far from pitying thy heavy case that they will applaud and congratulate themselves in the report of thy ruine as in the fall of one that hath ever been injurious and domineering
heard from the Fish-gate which is in that part which you call the City of David Then a sad and doleful howling from the second part of the City And as woful and crashing a noise from the highest and most eminent part wherein is the Temple and the Palace places that have been often acquainted with sweeter sounds 11. When the three chief places in Ierusalem have thus begun to expresse their sad condition then you that dwell in the hollower part of the City may second them with as doleful an eccho to bewail the ruine of the multitudes of Merchants thereabouts and the many fair heaps of silver that they must leave behind them 12. Then will I suffer every rich corner in Ierusalem to be as narrowly searched and ransacked by the Chaldaean souldiers as a man would peep and prie into the closest places with the help of candles that he might be sure to let nothing escape him that he hath a mind to bear away And so shall my justice meet with those that have lived in ease and plenty and without any disturbance like wine that hath been long setled on the lees without any removal out of one vessel into another These are they that soothed up themselves in their own foolish perswasion that God took no great care of humane affairs either to reward or to punish us here below according to our good or bad life and conversation 13. But this is the day wherein I will confute them by exposing their ill-gotten goods as a prey to the enemie and bringing their houses wherein they nestled themselves so securely to utter ruine and fearful desolation or at least by changing the owners so that other men shall dwell in those goodly buildings which they have erected and drink up the fruit of those costly vineyards which they had planted for themselves 14. This great day of the Lord is near very near and withal it flies swiftly towards us as a time that hath quicker wings then ordinarie to convey it self It will be such a bustling day that you may hear it as well as see it and the stoutest man that hears the approach of that day will not passe it over so quickly but that he will be heard to expresse the bitteruesse of the day in most bitter lamentations 15. This day will be a day of wrath and a day of trouble and yet a day wherein we shall be so streightned and penned in that there will be no way of evasion It will be a day of desolation of utter desolation without hope of recoverie to most of them A dark and gloomy day without the least appearance of comfort and a cloudie and thick-cloudie day wherein the heavens whither we use to cast up our eyes for relief will seem continually to frown upon us 16. A day that will fright us with the sound of the trumpet and the alarm of war against the strongest Cities and highest Towers that we have 17. In this day saith the Lord I will cause men to be in such pressure and such streights that they shall see no more then blind men which way to turn themselves or what course to take that may rid them out of this distresse And in the midst of those streights because they have sinned against the Lord their enemies shall make no more scruple of shedding their blood then of treading upon the dust that is under their feet and their bodies shall have no better esteem then the dung of the earth 18. In this day of Gods wrath their silver and gold shall not be able to purchase their ransome but the whole land shall be sodainly consumed by the fierce and jealous wrath of the Lord wherein he will make a full and speedy riddance of all that dwell in the land CHAP. II. 1 GAther your selves together yea gather together O nation not desired 2 Before the decree bring forth before the day passe as the chaff before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lords anger come upon you 3 Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth which have wrought his judgement seek righteousnesse seek meeknesse it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger 4 For Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon a desolation they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day and Ekron shall be rooted up 5 Wo unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast the nation of the Cherethites the word of the Lord is against you O Canaan the land of the Philistines I will even destroy thee that there shall be no inhabitant 6 And the sea-coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Iudah they shall feed thereupon in the houses of Ashkelon shall they ly down in the evening for the Lord their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity 8 I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon whereby they have reproached my people and magnified themselves against their borders 9 Therefore as I live saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel surely Moab shall he as Sodom and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah even the breeding of nettles and salt-pits and a perpetual desolation the residue of my people shall spoil them and the remnant of my people shall possesse them 10 This shall they have for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts 11 The Lord will be terrible unto them for he will famish all the gods of the earth and men shall worship him every one from his place even all the isles of the heathen 12 Ye Ethiopians also ye shall be slain by my sword 13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria and will make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wildernesse 14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her all the beasts of the nations both the cormorant and the Bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it their voice shall sing in the windows desolation shall be in the thresholds for he shall uncover the cedar-works 15. This is the rejoycing city that dwelt carelesly that said in their heart I am and there is none beside me how is she become a desolation a place for beasts to lie down in every one that passeth by her shall hiss and wag his hand CHAP. II. 1. THe day so foretold being so terrible and so near at hand Make an exact scrutinie and examination of your selves first and then of what else may conduce to your safety O nation little worthy the love and good liking of those that know your waies 2. Do this before Gods peremptorie and irrevocable decree produce the certain and final resolution for this day which shall be like one of his fanning and winnoing daies wherein he will separate
desolate I made their streets wast that none passeth by their cities are destroyed so that there is no man that there is none inhabitant 7 I said Surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive instruction so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever I punished them but they rose early and corrupted all their doings 8 Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord until the day that I rise up to the prey for my determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation even all my fierce anger for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousie 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering 11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings wherein thou hast transgressed against me for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoyce in thy pride and thou shalt no more be haughty because of mine holy mountain 12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. 13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speaks lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth for they shall feed and lie down and none shall make them afraid 14 Sing O daughter of Zion shout O Israel be glad and rejoyce with all the heart O daughter of Ierusalem 15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgements he hath cast out thine enemy the king of Israel even the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not see evil any more 16 In that day it shall be said to Ierusalem Fear thou not and to Zion Let not thineâ— hands be sâ—ack 17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing 18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly who are of thee to whom the reproach of it was a burden 19 Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame 20 At that time will I bring you again even in the time that I gather youâ— for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth when I turn back your captivity before your eyes saith the Lord. CHAP. III. 1. BUt that Israel applaud not themselves too much in the ruine of their enemies royal City let them now hear the woes pronounced against their own Jerusalem Wo to the City that grew fat with her gluttony and polluted with all those sins that accompanie a full table and with all kind of rapine and oppression that were made the means to maintain it 2. She would not hear the voice of those that foretold her ruine if she did not amend She would not entertain any such good instruction before the blow came Nor would she trust in the Lord Iehovah and make her devout approaches and addresses unto her God in the time of her extremities but to the Egyptians and Assyrians and who not rather then to him that was ever her surest friend in the time of trouble 3. And to say somewhat again of that oppression that we named before The threats and menaces of her Princes and Governors within the City were grown to be as high and terrible as the roaring of a lion and her Iudges that instead of doing justice put these unjust threats in execution became like those ravenous wolves that seek out for their prey in the evening when their hunger makes them to be more greedily and fiercely set upon it so that what they lay hold on is presently devoured they leave not so much as a bone to be gnawed and examined again in the morning 4. Their pretended Prophets for their lives and for their opinions too are as various and inconsistent as water that will not stay long in his own bounds but must be kept in by some other bodie that is not so fluid as that And which is yet more they are persidiously wicked persons in betraying that trust which is reposed in them that should be the patternâ— and maintainers of true religion and not the bare outward professors of it for their own private interests And the Priests come not much short of the Prophets for instead of hallowing they pollute the Sanctuary and all holy things and instead of keeping and expounding they do most violently both in their actions and expositions wrest and abuse the sense of the law to what it was never intended by the Law-maker 5. But the righteous Lord whose Laws and Sanctuaries are thus abused observes all that is done in this wicked City and He will not deflect from doing right as they do that should be the Patrons of right and justice in his stead Every morning will he show some examples of his justice upon them that should every day be the executioners of it upon others Thus will God never fail to show his justice And yet the unjust and wicked men that know this are so past shame and fear that they will not repent when they see my judgements upon their own and their neighbour Countries saith the Lord. 6. But when I destroyed those Gentiles for so I may call your ten tribes that had nothing in them of Israel I made their strong towers desolate and their populous streets I laid wast and left none to walk about them Even upon their greatest Cities did I bring that solitude and desolation so that there was not left a man nor any of mankind to dwell within them 7. You should have learned to take heed by their punishment And so I said within my self Surely thou my land of Iudah wilt thence at least learn to fear me by what thou seest inflicted upon Israel Their correction will be thy instruction that the Cities of Judah and other places of her habitation may not be cut off in the same manner but that all the good that in my best and kind visitations I have made profer of may come upon her But they deceived my expectation and instead of rising early to seek me they rose early to currupt their own waies more and more as if they were so eagerly set upon mischief that they would break their sleep to be at it 8. Therefore after my expectation deceived I will give you an item before hand to expect that which you shall not be deceived of i. my rising to answer yours and my rising out of the place
Zachary the son of Barachias the son of Iddo and thus said unto him Thus shalt thou say unto the Jewes The Lord was very much though very justly displeased with your Fathers whom he therefore delivered up as captives into the hands of the King of Babylon 3. And thou shalt further say unto them Thus saith the Lord of Hostes whom all things serve and obey Return unto me by a true repentance and amendment of life saith the Lord of Hostes and I will return unto you in that favour and mercy and tender care of your welfare which the great sins of your Fathers made me for a time withdraw from your nation saith the Lord of Hostes. 4. Be not you disobedient as your Fathers were whom the former Prophets have earnestly and zealously called upon saying Thus saith the Lord of hostes Repent ye now forsake all your evill waies and your wicked actions wherein you go on to get unto your selves a dangerous habit of sin Yet they would not diligently attend and accordingly obey me saith the great Iehovah 5. But where be your Fathers now that were so refractory and disobedient unto me and what is bâ—come of their false Prophets that soothed them up in their sins Did they live for ever Did I not send one calamity after another to hunt after them and bring them to their graves 6. Notwithstanding all their security and vain hopes of peace and an imaginary protection from me for my Temples sake have not my words and decrees which my Servantt the good Prophets delivered to them by my command proved now to be true Have not those judgements which I so decreed and foretold at the last justly overtaken them so that many of them in a true sense and apprehension of the greatnesse of their sins and the truth of those predictions returned in the end to a sober mind and ingâ—niously acknowledging their errour could not but say Just as the Lord of hostes resolved to do unto us by inflicting a heavie punishment answerable to our grievous sins in all the severall waies and wicked actions wherein we had offended even so hath he made it good upon us This confession my punishments extorted from your Fathers let it be one Motive of your true repentance that so you may escape those miseries which they pulled upon their own heads by not applying themselves unto me by a timely repentance 7. Now within two or three moneths after Zachary had preached this Sermon namely upon the twenty fourth day of the eleventh moneth which is the moneth Shebat and containes part of our January and part of February in the second year of Darius the son of Hystaspes the word of the Lord was revealed unto Zachary the Prophet the son of Barachiah the son of Iddo in this manner as I shall tell it 8. In the quiet silence of the night I saw a vision that promised though in a dark and mysticall way a quiet and peaceable time for the advancement of the work about the Temple and partly discovered how many Angels were ready with the Messias to assist and defend the Church in that time and much more under that figure how many helps would be afforded from heaven for that more spirituall Church whose foundation should be laid in that Citie by the preaching of the Messias and of his Apostles and Disciples In this vision to show the speed and forwardnesse of them that were sent I observed a man riding upon a red horse the very colour of the horse speaking the revenge that he meant to take of the enemies of the Church And he stood among the myrtle-trees that were in a bottom by a river side wherein again as the bottom and the shadow of the trees bid us take notice how obscurely these things are revealed and how little hope appeared from men for the delivery and tranquillity of the Church so the trees being the sweet and humble myrtle were a figure of meek and humble men that were for their holy life accounted as a sweet odour unto God But after the view of this Horse-man came more holy Emblems of our help For behind him as the Captain there appeared other as attendants on red horses and speckled and white as if the red were to signifie those that should attend their great Captain in prosecution of the revenge of the bloody enemies of the Church whereof we spake before and the other two those that came for the punishment of such as were other waies spotted with sin and for the protection of the pure and innocent 9. Then said I to the Captain of this troop of Horse the great Commander of this various armie under the Lord of Hostes Who are these my Lord And that great Angel or Messenger sent from God himself vouchsafeing to answer and discourse with me said I will let thee know what these be 10. Then presenting himself in the form of a man and staying still under the shade of the myrtle-trees he said These are the Armie and Messengers that the great Iehovah sends abroad to compasse the Earth to punish the worser and defend the better sort of men 11. Whereupon the rest in reference to what that great Messenger of the great Iehovah had said while he stood under the myrtle-trees gave this further answer to what I had presumed to ask of Him We have passed thorough the whole circuit of this land and we have taken such order that this all the Countries hereabouts are in peace and quiet and therefore they may safely and securely proceed in the fabrick of the Temple without any fear of disturbance at home or abroad 12. Vpon this occasion that great Messenger from the Lord was pleased to say as the great Mediator for his despised Church O Lord of Hostes how long was it ere thou wouldst have this pitie upon Ierusalem and other the Cities of Iudah which still appear but in their ruines and rubbish and which in thine anger thou didst keep under the Babylonian captivity no lesse than threescore and ten years the very age of a man 13. And the Lord Iehovah himself gave answer to that great Angel that had spoke so to me in most loving and comfortable words 14. Hereupon that great Angel and Embassador that had vouchsafed so far to commmune with me added this further and said Go and preach again unto thy people the Jewes and say Thus saith the Lord of Hostes I have indeed been jealous over Ierusalem and Sion and very jealous over them because of their spiritual adulteries which they have committed against me and I have punished them in some proportion to that jealousie 16. But now my anger shall fall in as great a measure upon those nations that have enjoyed their ease and plenty while you have been under the rod. And I will punish them the rather because whereas I used them like Schoolmasters for your correction onely they added more to your punishment than
they should have done as if they endeavoured your ruine rather than your amendment and so hindered as much as in them lay the good hopes of your recovery and your return to this place and to my service 16. Therefore this now is the mercifull resolution of the lord I will return with a gracious aspect upon Ierusalem and I will prosper the building of my Temple there saith the lord of Hostes. And let them be as sure of it as if they now see their Carpenters drawing out their lines for the whole work that not the Temple onely but the Citie of Jerusalem too shall be re-edified and made like her self again in her walls and gates and other places of ornament and defense that are fit for so great a City 17. And add this moreover when thou preachest to my people and say Thus saith the Lord of Hostes My Cities in Judah shall be so stored and filled once again with all good things as a vessel is that is ready to run over and burst with abundance of liquor And the Lord will again comfort Sion and show his loving kindnesse to Ierusalem as a place that he hath selected and picked out for the object of his love 18. After this lifting up mine eies I presently saw four hornes 19. And I said to the great Angel that discoursed with me what mean those horns that I see And he answered These horns are four severall Nations all enemies to Judaea and ready like wild beasts to tosse and molest her upon every advantage and so to hinder the good work which she intended about the Temple And these were the Cuthaeans the Ammonites the Arabians and the Philistims 20. Then the Lord shewed me four Carpenters well furnished with hatchets and sawes and other instruments of their Art as it were to cut those Hornes shorter that made so great a show or to help forward the building of the Temple 21 Then said I what come these men to do and he answered The hornes that you saw are severall nations that would fain tosse and scatter Iudah from place to place and like horned Beasts have so gored and pushed at that weak people that they dare not turn head against them or make any resistance Now these Carpenters are come as friends that God hath raised up for you to fray away and disperse them and all such like among the Gentiles that shall presume to lift up their hornes against the land of Iudah to make another dispersion of that afflicted people And things being so quieted you may the better attend the work about the house of God CHAP. II. 1 I Lift up mine eyes again and looked and behold a man with a measuring-lâ—ne in his hand 2 Then said I whither goest thou and he said unto me To measure Ierusalem to see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof 3 And behold the angel that talked with me went forth and another angel went out to meet him 4 And said unto him Run speak to this young man saying Ierusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattel therein 5 For I saith the Lord will be unto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midst of her 6 Ho ho come forth and flee from the land of the north saith the Lord for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven saith the Lord. 7 Deliver thy self O Zion that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon 8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye 9 For behold I will shake mine hand upon them and they shall be a spoil to their servants and ye shall know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me 10 Sing and rejoyce O daughter of Zion for lo I come I will dwel in the midst of thee saith the Lord. 11 And many nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the midst of thee and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee 12 And the Lord shall inherit Iudah his portion in the holy land and shall choose Ierusalem again 13 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he ie raised up out of his holy habitation CHAP. II. 1. AFter what was told me of the four Carpenters and as it were in confirmation of that Another vision caused the lifting up of mine eyes where I beheld a man with a measuring line in his hand A resemblance of Nehemiah that was to take care for the employment of the builders of the City 2. To this man I presently applied my self and said unto him whither art thou going And he returned me this answer I am going to measure Ierusalem that I may see what is the breadth and what is the length of it 3. You may take notice that in the mean while the great Angel with whom I had been entertained in discourse before withdrew himself from the place where he then stood and another Angel went out to meet him and receive his commands 4. To whom this was that which the great Angel gave first in charge Make hast saith he and deliver this Prophesie to that young man Zachariah the young Prophet and say Ierusalem shall be once again so populous that many of her Citizens shall be fain to inhabite in the suburbs and in the little villages all about them because neither they nor their cattle and other wealth shall be able to be conteined within the walls In all which Jerusalem shall be but a type of a greater accesse of true converts to the Church of God which is the true Jerusalem the mother of us all 5. And to this Ierusalem and to that which is figured by it will I be like a wall of fire round about her to defend her from all outward assaults And within the Citie I will be a glory to her in the many and miraculous expressions of my power and Majestie 6. You therefore that account your selves in the number of the children of Israel and are yet in the land of your captivity Come O come quickly to us out of those Northern climates saith the Lord. For I will dilate and extend your habitations towards the four winds of Heaven and much inlarge the borders of your possession saith the Lord. 7. Therefore make hast Come away come away you Citizens of Sion Delight not to continue your captivity and prolong the time of your banishment from your Jerusalem but speedily come out of Babylon you that hitherto have continued in that place Come out of your places of idolatrie and seat your selves in the spatious limits of the true Church of God 8. For thus saith the Lord of hosts the great Deliverer and Defender of his Church Come after
that glory wherein I shall go before you as your glorious guide and Champion to conduct you safe to your Jerusalem that here and that above For he that sends me as his great Angel of the covenant and commander of his Hosts hath sent me upon this errand amongst the rest to visit the nations that spoiled you to be avenged and to deliver you out of their Tyrannie Nor could you expect any lesse since he that toucheth you toucheth the very apple of his eye He is as sensible of your injuries and sufferings as if they were his own and offered to him in a part of the tenderest touch 9. Therefore you may observe me already shaking my hand over them by way of menace And accordingly them that have heretofore used you as Servants I shall not fail ere long to make servants unto you and some of them more then so as in the time of the Maccabees to be no better then captives taken in warlike manner which shall serve also as a type and figure of those that shall be taken into my service when I send the rod of my power out of Sion and when my spiritual souldiers shall bring them of all nations into the number of the true Israel of God And when they that I send shall compasse so great atchievements you will know assuredly that it was the Lord of Hosts that sent me the great Commander not of those troops onely that appeared in the first vision but of all things that are in heaven and earth 10. Rejoyce then and be exceeding glad O daughter of Sion for which thou shalt see and wonder at I will not onely vouchsafe to dwell in this Temple that you are building but I will further be pleased to come dwell with you visibly personally conversing among you in the sacred Temple of my flesh saith the Lord Iehovah 11. And many nations shall apply themselves to the Lord in those daies and like true Proselytes and converts indeed be joyned unto Him as souldiers to sight under his banner and no longer as enemies to him and his Church So shall they become my people as you are and true members of the true Jerusalem And I will abide and dwell in the midst of thee and within thee as my holy Temple and my Heaven upon earth And so thou shalt be more and more assured that it was the Lord of Hosts that sent me unto thee O thou daughter of Sion the Church and Congregation of the true servants of God 12. With this happy successe shall the Lord inherit Iudah again as his peculiar possession in the holy land and again make choice of Ierusalem wherein to show his power and glory 13. Therefore let all men be still and show fear and reverence before the Lord. For he will rise up from the throne of his glory and show himself from his holy habitation to subdue his enemies under his feet and be glorified in his servants CHAP. III. 1 ANd he shewed me Ioshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him 2 And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem rebuke thee is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire 3 Now Ioshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel 4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him saying Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passe from thee and I will clothe thee with change of raiment 5 And I said Let them set a fair mitre upon his head so they set a fair mitre upon his head and clothed him with garments and the angel of the Lord stood by 6 And the angel of the Lord protested unto Ioshua saying 7 Thus saith the Lord of hosts if thou wilt walk in my waies and if thou wilt keep my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and shalt also keep my courts and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by 8 Hear now O Ioshua the high priest thou and thy fellows that sit before thees for they are men wondred at for behold I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH 9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Ioshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hosts and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day 10 In that day saith the Lord of hosts shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig-tree CHAP. III. 1. NOw the Lord in another vision let me see Iosuah the High-Priest standing before that great Angel or Messenger of the Lord and Satan standing at Joshuah his right hand that he might there show himself to be a Satan i. an adversarie and malitious accusar of him and so like his name 2. And the Lord Iehovah or some Archangel representing his person said unto Satan The Lord rebuke or restrain thee O Satan from prevailing in thy malitious accusation to any prejudice of the High-Priest Even that gratious Lord so restrain thee in the behalf of Jerusalems High Priest that hath in so great love made choice of Ierusalem as a place to be made a special object of his favour and mercy For is not this Joshua whom thou opposest one that hath more need of divine compassion and indulgence as being like a brand plucked out of many sad dangers and fierie trials that befel him in the time of his long captivity And by him plucked out and rescued thence that gave that token of his care and protection over him for the time to come 3. Now Joshuah appeared to me in this vision as one clad in filthy apparrel while he thus stood before the great Angel of the Lord which might be an embleme not so much of his poor estate as of some sin that he had contracted in the time of his captivity For sin represents us no otherwise in the sight of Gods pure eyes then as men covered with rags and pollution 4. Then said that great Angel to the other that stood ready to obey his commands Take away Joshuahs filthy garments from him as a sign of the removal of his sins that had made him appear so unpleasing in the sight of God And then turning himself to the High-Priest See saith he and forget not this mercy wherein I have caused the removal of thy sin which might now have been laid to thy charge and I will cause thee to be arrayed in such new and decent garments the robes of righteousnesse as wherein thou shalt be accepted 5. I have also taken order with my attendants said he that they set a fair mytre upon the head of Iosuah as the High-Priest of the Lord. And this they did
and the Priest and might intimate unto us that a Prince and Priest we should have till the times of the Messias according to the Prophesie of Iacob Though these mysteries both here and in the Temple might have a farther light in this Candlestick to show us the ecclesiastical function in the greater Church of God wherein the several Ministers like several and clear lamps should shine forth in their doctrine and conversation that others by their good light may be brought to glorifie their father which is in heaven 4. But these things at the first representation of the Vision I did not so discover but being wholly taken up with admiration I proceeded and said further to the Angel that discoursed with me what is the meaning of these things my Lord. 5. To which that Angel that had pleased so to talk with me replied and said Dost thou not conceave what is meant by the Candlestick and the Olive-trees and the other parts of the Vision and I said I do not indeed my Lord therefore I desire that you would vouchsafe to explain the mysterie of them 6. Then saith he to me by way of answer Thou maist gather part of the meaning out of those words which thou art commanded to deliver unto Zorobabel that takes so great care and pains about your sacred Fabrick For thus you are commanded by God himself so say unto Zerubbabel This building shalt thou be able to raise and fit for my service not by any wealth or power of your own for who sees not how poor and weak your nation is at this time but by my spirit saith the Lord of Hosts by the vertue and courage that I shall infuse into you all and the means and friends that I shall raise up for you while your own poor abilities contribute as little to the finishing of so great a work as you do to the supply of oyl for those lamps which are fed by olive-trees raised up miraculously by me on purpose for that intent 7. And who can hinder that which the Lord of Hosts will do Canst thou O Babylon Alas what art thou that vaunts thy self and thy Empire to overtop that of Zerubbabel and his little Jury as far as a high Mountain appears above a little mole-hill Did not I lay that high and mighty empire as low as a pore plain in the sight of Zerubbabel who carried in his very name a good omen of the confusion of Babel and the dispersing of her several Provinces Shall I not do the like against any other Potentates that oppose my poor Church in any age Yes and now to begin with Iurie and her Ierusalem and her Temple there maugre all opposition I inabled Zerubbabel to appear strong and powerful iu the work I made him the man that laid the first stone thereof accompanied with the acclamations and good wishes of all the people that cried out Let God ever favour let his mercy ever support it He blesse and succeed and maintain this great work so happily begun 8. Moreover the word of the Lord came to me his Angel saying 9. As the hands of Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house so when his hands have finished it i. by his care at his command and direction and in his time the whole work be perfected as I foretold then shall you by that accomplishment of my prediction be able to conclude that I came with commission from the Lord of Hosts to encourage you in this businesse 10. But if any man slight and mistrust the time of these little beginnings of the Fabrick and think it promiseth but little for the conclusion If any such there be they will rather have cause to rejoyce and chear up themselves when they consider what was said of the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel and of those seven eyes that were so miraculously engraven in it by the immediate power of Almighty God For that is an embleme of the eyes of God that run thorough the whole world i. of his infinite providence and care that extends it self over all things and specially over his own people 11. Then said I further to him What is mean by those two olive-trees whereof one stands upon the right the other upon the left side of the Candlestick 12. And he deferring his answer I presumed to propose the same question again unto him and said What are those two branches of the olives hanging over the golden pipes thence emptying their pretious oyl as pure and cleare as gold 13. Then he replying said unto me Knowest thou not yet what is meant by them And I said I must confesse to my Lord I do not fullie conceave the meaning of them 14. He answered These are the two Sons of Oyl as you use to speak i. the two sorts of sacred persons annointed with holy oyl the Prince and the High-Priest who attend as two principal servants upon the Lord of the whole earth and whose vigilant care over the Temple and the whole Church of God in their respective places is here figured by those two branches of the olive that impart a continual supply of oyl to all the lamps i. of comfort and assistance to all those that shine as clear lights in the Church of God CHAP. V. 1 THen I turned and lift up mine eyes and looked and behold a flying roll 2 And he said unto me What seest thou and I answered I see a flying roll the length thereof is twenty cubits and the breadth thereof ten cubits 3 Then said he unto me This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it 4 I will bring it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of the thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof 5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth and said unto me Lift up now thine eyes and see what is this that goeth forth 6 And I said what is it and he said This is an ephah that goeth forth He said moreover This is their resemblance through all the earth 7 And behold there was lift up a talent of lead and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah 8 And he said This is wickednesse and he cast it into the midst of the ephah and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof 9 Then lift I up mine eyes and looked and behold there came out two women and the wind was in their wings for they had wings like the wings of a stork and they lift up the ephah between the earth and the heaven 10 Then said I to the
plain had the same benefit of a quiet and secure repose and a rich habitation 8. And the word of the Lord came again unto me saying 9. Thus spake the Lord of Hostes by former Prophets saying In your publick places of Judgement proceed according to the rules of true Iustice and Equity without any regard to silthy lucre or to the prejudice of Affection And in your private actions and commerce with one another show that kindnesse and compassion that should be expected among Brethren of the same stock and alliance and of the same Religion and Profession 10. Let there be no injuring or oppressing of the widow the orphan the stranger or any that are poor and afflicted amongst you And do not so much as in your hearts devise or conceive any mischeivous intention against one another All this I commanded your Fathers by the former Prophets 11. But they would not hear of that ear they shrunk up the shoulder and in plain rebellion turned their backs upon their good guides and followed those courses that would make their cares duller for any holy counsaile that called for this obedience 12. And thus by degrees they made their hearts as it were in a set opposition to all exhortations of obedience as hard as flint or any the hardest and most durable stone that there might be no admittance for the voice of the law and the precepts which the Lord of Hostes sent them by those that were to that purpose raised up and enlightened by his holy Spirit for such were all your former Prophets And this wilfull and obstinate rebellion of theirs could not but draw down the heavie and just indignation of the Lord of Hostes. 13. And accordingly you see it came to passe that as they suffered God to call upon them and would return him no answer of obedience so when their own miseries forced them to call for divine assistanee then did I refuse to answer their desires saith the Lord of Hostes. 14. And I dispersed them in mine anger as if it had been with a mighty whirl-wind into severall nations which they never knew before and their own land after their deportation into other parts was left waste and desolate like a wildernesse behind them There was not so much as a passenger to be seen either going thither or returning from that place that had been so much frequented Such and so heavie was the solitude and barrennesse of that land that had been accounted the delight and Paradise of the whole earth CHAP. VIII 1. AGain the word of the Lord of hostes came to me saying 2. Thus saith the Lord of hosts I was jealous for Zion with great jealousie and I was jealous for her with great fury 3 Thus saith the Lord I am returned unto Zion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of truth and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain 4 Thus saith the Lord of hosts There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Ierusalem and every man with his staffe in his hand for very age 5 And the streets of the citie shall be full of boyes and girls playing in the streets thereof 6 Thus saith the Lord of hosts if it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these dayes should it also be marvellous in mine eyes saith the Lord of hosts 7 Thus saith the Lord of hostes Behold I will save my people from the east-countrey and from the west-countrey 8 And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousnesse 9 Thus saith the Lord of hosts Let your hands be strong ye that hear in these dayes these words by the mouth of the prophets which were in the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid that the temple might be built 10 For before these daies there was no hire for man nor any hire for beast neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction for I set all men every one against his neighbour 11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the former daies saith the Lord of hosts 12 For the seed shall be prosperous the vine shall give her fruit and the ground shall give her encrease and the heavens shall give their dew and I will curse the remnant of this people to possess all these things 13 And it shall come to passe that aâ—â— ye were a curse among the heathen O house of Iudah and house of Israel so will I save you and ye shall be a blessing fear not but let your hands be strong 14 For thus saith the Lord of hosts As I thought to punish you when your fathers provoked me to wrath saith the Lord of hostes and I repented not 15 So again have I thought in these dayes to do well unto Ierusalem and to the house of Iudah fear ye not 16 These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates 17 And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. 18 And the word of the Lord of hosts came unto me saying 19 Thus saith the Lord of hosts The fast of the fourth moneth and the fast of the fifth and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Iudah joy and gladness and chearfull feasts therefore love the truth and peace 20 Thus saith the Lord of hosts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people and the inhabitants of many cities 21 And the inhabitants of one city shbll go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of hosts I will go also 22 Yea many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hostes in Ierusalem and to pray before the Lord. 23 Thus saith the Lord of hostes In those daies it shall come to passe that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew saying We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you CHAP. VIII 1. ANd the commands of the Lord of Hostes were thus expressed further upon the same occasion and to make way for a satisfactory answer to their question 2. Thus saith the Lord of Hostes. As my great wrath and justice upon my own people followed upon the greatnesse of those sins which were mentioned before so now the greatnesse of my jealousie for Sion the seat on my Jewish Church and my great anger no now against her but for her shall be
they come against my people with their great forces of horse wherein they put their confidence I will strike all their horses with astonishment and their riders with furie as Jerusalem was struck before when she had drunk of that cup of giddinesse that exposed her to ruine But toward the house of Iudah at that time will I open my watchful and favourable eye while I smite their enemies horse-forces with blindnesse that they may rather ingage themselves more and more in their own danger then see how to effect what they subtilly plotted and contrived against my people 5. Then shall the Princes and Champions of Iudah say within their hearts that the strength of the inhabitants of Ierusalem must be in me even in the Lord of Hosts their God 6. About that time I will make the Governors of Iudah like a live coal of fire compassed about with drie wood that can quickly set all about it in a flame or like a torch of fire that is compassed about with sheafs of corn that will soon convey the heat and danger to all that is near Like such a fire shall they sodainly and fearfully consume all their enemies that compasse them about on the right hand or on the left And Ierusalem all the while shall remain immoveable like the stone we spake of before in her own place where Jerusalem was ever seated And so shall that larger Church whereof Jerusalem is but a figure It shall not be removed from that rock which gives it such support that the gates of hell shall not be able to prevail against 7. And the Lord will save the inhabitants of his people in Iudaea as he ever did from the beginning i. by himself and his own power and wisdom that the honour may be his own and man may have no part in it and that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the Inhabitants of their great City of Ierusalem do not magnifie it self for the protection of the people of Iudah as if it were to be ascribed unto them 8. Thus in those times shall God defend with his people of Iudaea the inhabitants also of Ierusalem that we may account them not our Guardians but the partakers of the same divine protection with us and the infirm and inferiour sort among them that you think likeliest to fall from their station shall then prove another David for valour to go before them And they of the house of David like men of the House of God which is nearest to his care and defense and like an Angel of God that being in near attendance upon his person and in his holy Temple above cannot but be near to all safety and freedom from danger 9. Then shall any justice find out waies for the destruction of all those nations that have come in hostile manner against Jerusalem 10. But I will pour upon the house of David and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the graces of my spirit in such plentiful manner that many of them shall in hearty sorrow and contrition and in humble prayer and supplication beg my gratious pardon for what they have done amisse And in a sad repentance they shall look upon me whom they have pierced not in my hands and feet and head and side onely but in my very heart too with their wicked and blasphemous words more then with their spear And they shall mourn for Him that suffered so much by them before they knew him to be what he wasâ— As bitterly shall they mourn as one would mourn for his first-born son or his onely son that hath the greatest share in his love and affection with such sorrow shall they look upon his Passion that they may learn to look upon it with love and with resolution to forbear the piercing him afresh by continuance in sin Or else there will come a time when they will weep and howl too late at the sight of him when he comes in his glory 11. But in the first and more seasonable time then will there be a great and heavy lamentation in Ierusalem which shall be seconded in the Church that Jerusalem yet resembles It shall be like the great mourning for the death of good Josiah called the mourning of Hadadrimmon a City in the valley of Mageddon 12. And the whole land shall have cause to mourn every family apart The families of the house of David apart and their wives too apart as your custome is in times of great sorrow and repentance The families of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart For what family hath not been guilty of piercing their Messias It is not the issue left of the Royal Family nor the posterity of the Princely Tribe that can plead an exemption from that guilt 13. The Families of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart For even the Priests and Levites had as great a hand in it as any other The Familie of the house Shemei apart and their wives apart 14. And so in summe all the several families that remain un-named every family apart and their wives apart as all some way or other guilty of that great offence against the Messias whom they have pierced by contributing much to his heavy sufferings and therefore should pierce their own hearts with some deep remorse and impression of sorrow With these shall the several Families of all the nations in the world sooner or later bewail their sins the chief murderers of our Messias which make them all accessorie or rather Principals in the Death of Him that is the God of Life And the sooner the better but still as one eye looks upon the grief the other looking upon the love wherewith he was pierced For CHAP. XIII IN that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sin and for uncleannesse 2. And it shall come to passe in that day saith the Lord of hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to passe out of the land 3. And it shall come to passe that when any shall yet prophesie then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live for thou spakest lies in the name of the Lord and his father and â—his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth 4. And it shall come to passe in that day that the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision when he hath prophesied neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive 5. But he shall say I am no prophet I am an husband man for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth 6. And one shall say unto him What are these wounds in thine hands then he shall answer These with
account of then as of things polluted rather then sanctified to my service But you will say yet further What is that pollution wherein we are said to offer contempt unto thee And I must tell you it lies in those base words of yours that the Table of the Lord is so despicable a thing that we need not be very scrupulous of sacrificing and offering any thing there though it be not so perfect and without blemish as is required 8. And so when you bring a lamb or any other creature that is blind to be offered up in sacrifice that is no great harm O by no means in your opinion it is not And when your offering is of that which is lame and sickly there is no ill in so doing as you seem to imagine But go and bestow such a blind and lame and sickly present upon your Prince and Governour and see if he will accept kindly of it and be of your opinion that it is a present good enough for him saith the Lord of Hosts Sure he will not What shall then be said of those poor contemptible sacrifices so unfit to be brought in your addresses to me and as types and figures of that immaculate lamb that must take away the sinnes of the world 9. Now therefore it onely remains that in lue of them you present your selves before him in humble prayer that he would please to be merciful to us all who are all of us likely to fare the worse for these great sins For it is plain that this great fault hath been committed by you And therefore while you continue in it do you think that you can be acceptable in his sight at whose altar you serve or that he shall accept of such offerings of yours saith the Lord of Hosts 10. Nay if these be thought fit sacrifices for my Temple which of you will do me that acceptable service to shut up your doors and passages to your Sanctuarie that there may be no more fire in vain kindled upon my altar for all your service is in vain while it is tendered in such negligent and scornful manner I can take no pleasure in you that are such sacrificers saith the Lord of Hosts nor will I accept of any such sacrifices from your hands 11. But I will tell you what sacrifice I shall delight in In the spirituall sacrifice of a good and spiritual heart For ere long from East to West all the world over shall my Name be magnified among the Gentiles and in every place shall the holy incense of prayer and the pure offering of themselves their souls and bodies be presented unto me For once again I tell you great shall my name be among the Gentiles since it is so slighted and undervalued by you saith the Lord of Hosts 12. But you still go on to pollute that sacred name as much as in you lies as when you say within your selves that the Table of the Lord is no such pure thing nor the offering so pure that is laid upon it neither is that fire which consumes the sacrifice so pure that we need be so nice and dainty about the choice of the sacrifice 13. Nor is this contempt among the Priests onely that do attend the sacrifice but it is the fault of you among the people too that bring it to the Priest For you have been heard to say when you have brought the sheep or what else was sent into that Court of the Temple where you were to leave it O what a wearisom businesse is this How am I tired with the weight of this burden And then you have puffed and blown at it as if that you brought had been so fat and plump that the bringing of so heavy a burden had almost taken away your breath This you have said in a jesting and scornfull manner puffing at my sacrifice and indeed slighting of it saith the Lord of Hosts Nay such things have some of you brought to be offered as have been stolne or purchased by rapine and oppression and you have sent into the Courts of my Temple lame and weake sickly creatures to serve for an offering and so for a poor acknowledgement of the many mercies and favours that I have showed to you And do you think I shall ever be pleased with what is offered by you in such contempt saith the Lord of Hosts 14. No cursed be that subtle and deceitful man that makes a mock at these Acts of Religion and being able to send that which is good and having in his flock a male that is sound and in good liking doth yet when he comes to pay his vows render a poor weak and blemished sacrifice unto the Lord. But I am the great King of Heaven and earth and therefore other kind of presents were fitter for me saith the Lord of Hosts and among the very Gentiles more fear and reverence shall be given unto my Name CHAP. II. 1. ANd now O ye priests this commandment is for you 2 If ye will not hear and if ye will not lay it to heart to give glory unto my name saith the Lord of hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart 3 Behold I will corrupt your seed and spread dung upon your faces even the dung of your solemn feasts and one shall take you away with it 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you that my covenant might be with Levi saith the Lord of hosts 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name 6 The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in peace and equity and did turn many away from iniquity 7 For the Priests Lips should keep knowledge and they should seek the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts 8 But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi saith the Lord of hosts 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my wayes but have been partiall in the Law 10 Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother by profaning the Covenant of our Fathers 11 Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath profaned the holinesse of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange god 12 The Lord will cut off the man that doth this the master and the scholar out of the Tabernacles of Iacob and him that offereth an offering unto the
shall make use of to that purpose shall spend those pieces of silver and gold as they please without any respect to the pretended sacred employment which they had before 7. Then shall men take up a Proverb against them and say They have sowen the wind and reaped the whirlewind They have busled and troubled themselves to their own further vexation rather than any advantage For what true fruit have they of that whereof they are now ashamed And the truth of this they will see in the fruites of the earth which will as much deceive their expectation For if the stalk come up it shall have no corn upon it or if it have that shall not make any good meale or if it do strangers shall come and eat it up Little of it shall come into their profane mouths 8. And such strangers shall devour the men of Israel themselves as well as their corn after a while And for their neglect of my service the Moabites and other forreign nations shall make as little account of them as they do of a broken or tainted vessel that a man hath no mind to make use of for the meanest occasion 9. In this distresse up will Israel get him to seek help of the Assyrian but he will find him slow enough to take Israel's burden upon his own shoulders For the Assyrian is like a wild Asse that feeds alone to himself he cares not to fit himself for others employment but for his own ease and profit Therefore Ephraims bribes may walk to make friends of the Assyrians but it will be to little purpose 10. For Imagine while they seek not me their onely true God and their best help that they have some fair hopes from those nations that are hired with their money yet those nations will I muster up against them chiefly the Assyrians whom they reckon in the number of their ablest and surest friends And then shall they begin to be troubled by little and little and oppressed with the heavy burdens layed upon them by that King and his Princes 11. And since Ephraim hath taken pleasure in building many Altars wherein to offend God they shall meet with Altars in Assyria that will give no little offence to them when besides their other grievances they are forced to convey wood and water and sacrifices to that service of the Assyrian 12. All which they might easily have prevented For to that purpose I gave them many good and worthy lawes in writing from the time of Moses upon which they set no more value then upon a thing that little concerned them or their felicity 13. The flesh of those sacrifices which they offer unto me for their own sweet sakes that must feast upon it let them offer it and let them eat freely of it if they will For I little regard either while they are done without amendment of life And for all them they shall know that ere-long I will call their sinnes to remembrance and punish their offences And this in particular that contrary to their solemn ingagement to the Assyrian they have entertained a resolution of applying themselves again to the Egyptians for an uncertain relief 14. In which as in other courses they forget their God that made them and dream of building more and more fair houses to their Gods from whom they expect deliverance Wherein also the kingdom of Iudah hath not been a little to blame which fearing the like incursions of the Assyrian built not her hopes upon God but upon the multitude-of her new fenced Cities and Palaces which I shall send a fire to consume by the hand of Sennacherib CHAP. IX 1. REjoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God thou hast loved a reward upon every corn floor 2 The floor and the wine-presse shall not feed them and the new wine shall fail in her 3 They shall not dwell in the Lords land but Ephraim shall return to Egypt and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria 4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the Lord neither shall they be pleasing unto him their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners all that eat thereof shall be polluted for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord. 5 What will ye do in the solemn day and in the day of the feast of thè Lord. 6 For lo they are gone because of destruction Egypt shall gather them up Memphis shall bury them the pleasant places for their silver nettles shall possesse them thornes shall be in their tabernacles 7 The dayes of visitation are come the dayes of recompense are come Israel shall know it the Prophet is a fool the spiritual man is mad for the multitude of thine iniquity and the great hatred 8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God but the Prophet is a snare of a sowler in all his waies and hatred in the house of his God 9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the dayes of Gibeah therefore he will remember their iniquity he will visit their sins 10 I found Israel like grapes in the wildernesse I saw your Fathers as the first ripe in the fig-tree at her first time but they went to Baal-Peor and separated themselves unto that shame and their abominations were according as they loved 11 As for Ephraim their glory shall flee away like a bird from the birth and from the womb and from the conception 12 Though they bring up their children yet will I bereave them that there shall not be a man left yea wo also to them when I depart from them 13 Ephraim as I saw Tyrus is planted in a pleasant place but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer 14 Give them O Lord what wilt thou give give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts 15 All their wickednesse is in Gilgal for there I hated them for the wickednesse of their doings I will drive them out of mine house I will love them no more all their Princes are revolters 16 Ephraim is smitten their root is dried up they shall bear no fruit yea they bring forth yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb 17 My God will cast them away because they did not hearken unto him and they shall be wanderers among the nations CHAP. IX 1. PLease not thy self too much O Israel in thinking thy prosperity as secure and permanent as they of other nations may hope for Idolatrie is not so great a sin in them as it is in thee Thou hast gone a whoring from the true God to whom thou hadst plighted thy troth And thou hast done it in expectation of a good reward for it in all thy corn-floors wherein thou hopest to find more plenty for doing that which will bring a greater plague upon thee 2. For the floore and the winepresse shall not be able to maintain